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LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 

PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


Purchased  by  the 
Mrs.   Robert  Lenox  Kennedy  Church  History  Fund. 


Divisiou^X.£>.  -2/  4"  S 

Section.MKjr.HB 


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KENTUCKY 
BAPTIST  HISTORY 

1770  —  1922 


By    y 

THE  REV.  WILLIAM  DUDLEY  NOWLIN,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

Author  of  "What  Baptists  Stand  For" 
"Fundamentals  oj  the  Faith^ 
"God  So  Loved  the  World,"  etc. 


V^ 


BAPTIST   BOOK   CONCERN 

1922 


This  book  is  dedicated  by  the  author  to 
Deacon  J.  W.  Lam,  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  Greenville,  Kentucky,  who  backed 
his  pastor  financially  in  gathering  and 
preparing   the   material   for   this   history. 


AUTHOR'S   FOREWORD 

THE  story  of  the  rise,  progress,  trials  and  triiimphs 
of  Baptists  in  Kentucky  is  more  thrilling  and 
remarkable  than  the  purest  fiction  of  the  wildest 
imagination.  One  hundred  and  fifty-two  years  ago 
there  was  one  Baptist  on  Kentucky  soil,  Elder  Squire 
Boone ;  today  there  are  about  three  hundred  thousand 
Baptists  in  the  State  of  Kentucky.  This,  too,  in  spite 
of  the  fact  that  Kentucky's  fruitful  soil  has  been  the 
hotbed  of  almost  every  conceivable  heresy. 

Kentucky  has  been  in  theological,  as  well  as  in 
profane  history,  a  "dark  and  bloody  ground."  She 
has  been  the  storm  center  of  religious  controversy, 
the  battle-field  of  jarring  opinions  from  her  earliest 
history.  Her  preachers  have  been  trained  in  a  stern 
school,  being  men  of  war  from  their  youth  up. 
"Infidelity,"  "Deism,"  "Unitarianism,"  "HeU- 
Redemptionism, "  "Arianism,"  "  Two-Seedism, " 
"Campbellism,"  " Hard-shellism, "  "Old  Landmark- 
ism,"  " Whittsittism, "  "Gospel  Missionism,"  suc- 
ceeding and  overlapping  one  the  other,  for  more  than 
125  years  have  divided  the  Baptist  forces  of  this  state 
and  shorn  them  of  much  of  their  power.  But  our 
brethren  farther  south  should  not  complacently  refer 
to  Kentucky  Baptists  as  "a  scrappy  bunch,"  forget- 
ting the  fact  that  Kentucky  has  fought  the  battles  for 
the  other  states  as  well  as  for  herself,  and  that  but 
for  the  heroic  struggles  in  Kentucky  there  would  of 
necessity  have  been  greater  struggles  in  these  other 
states.  Kentucky  has  served  as  a  break-water  for 
the  South  against  the  flood  of  heresies  that  has  swept 
down  from  the  North. 

Explanation 

We  take  the  following,  which  is  self-explanatory, 
from  the  minutes  of  General  Association  of  Baptists 
in  Kentucky  for  the  year  1917  (page  70) : 

5 


6  Author's  Foreword 

"W.  D.  Nowlin  offered  the  following  resolu- 
tion, which  was  unanimously  adopted: 

"Inasmuch  as  we  as  Baptists  are  making 
history  in  Kentucky  and  inasmuch  as  it  is  very 
important  to  preserve  our  history,  therefore  be  it 

"Resolved,  That  we,  the  General  Association 
of  Baptists  in  Kentucky,  in  session  assembled, 
this,  the  15th  day  of  November,  1917,  request 
Prof.  W.  J.  McGlothlin  to  prepare  and  publish 
a  readable  history  of  Kentucky  Baptists  from 
their  beginning  in  this  State  to  the  present  time. ' ' 

Immediately  following  the  meeting  of  the  General 
Association,  in  which  the  above  resolution  was  passed, 
the  author  turned  over  to  Professor  McGlothlin  such 
materials  as  he  had  gathered  for  a  history  of  Ken- 
tucky Baptists.  Professor  McGlothlin  expected  to 
prepare  the  history,  but  was  later  called  to  the  presi- 
dency of  Furman  University,  which  position  he 
accepted,  and  which  removed  him  from  the  state.  On 
leaving  the  state  he  turned  back  to  the  author  the 
materials  for  the  history. 

From  the  minutes  of  the  Georgetown  session  of 
the  General  Association,  1919  (page  35),  we  take  the 
following :  * '  On  motion  W.  D.  Nowlin  was  requested 
to  write  a  History  of  Kentucky  Baptists,  and  the 
Kentucky  Baptist  Historical  Society  was  requested  to 
finance  the  publication." 

This  gives  us  something  of  the  history  of  this 
History.  The  original  resolution  called  for  "a  read- 
able history  of  Kentucky  Baptists  from  their  begin- 
ning in  this  state  to  the  present  time."  It  has  been 
the  aim  of  the  author  to  follow  this  instruction.  How- 
ever, it  has  been  hard  sometimes  to  cut  down  the 
material  to  a  readable  volume,  and  yet  give  all  that 
should  be  given  to  make  clear  a  connected  history  of 
Baptists  in  Kentucky  from  the  first  appearance  of 
Elder  Squire  Boone  in  January,  1770,  to  1922. 

In  this  history  the  effort  has  been  made  to  give 
the  various  movements  among  Kentucky  Baptists  in 


Author's  Foreword  7 

their  chronological  order,  though  at  times  there  is 
considerable  overlapping  of  these  movements. 

Appreciation 

The  appreciation  of  the  author  is  here  expressed 
to  his  friends,  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Landrum,  D.  D.,  the 
Rev.  C.  M.  Thompson,  D.  D.,  the  Rev.  W.  J.  McGloth- 
lin,  D.  D.,  the  Rev.  John  T.  Christian,  D.  P.,  and  the 
Rev.  J.  G.  Bow,  D.  D.  for  assistance  and  suggestions. 
He  also  extends  thanks  to  the  following  who  fur- 
nished old  copies  of  papers,  magazines,  minutes,  etc. : 
Hon.  H.  S.  Robinson,  Campbellsville ;  Mr.  0.  C.  Fogle, 
Fairfield,  111.;  Miss  Mattie  Wilson,  Bardstown;  Mrs. 
H.  A.  Buchanan,  Burdick,  Ky. ;  Mr.  J.  B.  Whitaker, 
Russellville ;  the  Rev.  Benj.  Connaway,  Providence; 
Don  Singletary,  M.  D.,  Clinton ;  J.  N.  Smith,  Lewis- 
ton,  Mo. ;  the  Rev.  C.  0.  Simpson,  Clay ;  Mrs.  F.  T. 
Heyser,  DeLand,  Fla.,  and  the  Rev.  W.  M.  Lee,  Th. 
D.,  Cochran,  Ga.  To  Deacon  J.  W.  Lam  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  Greenville,  Ky.,  a  fine  Christian  gen- 
tleman, who  is  interested  in  his  denomination  and  its 
history,  and  who  gave  his  encouragement  and  finan- 
cial support  to  his  pastor,  the  author,  in  his  arduous 
task  of  gathering  and  preparing  this  material,  is  the 
author  greatly  indebted. 

Yours  fraternally, 

Wm.  D.  Nowlin. 

First  Baptist  Church  Study, 

Greenville,  Ky. 
June  5,  1922. 


INTRODUCTION 

ACCORDING  to  the  canons  of  enlightened  criti- 
cism the  man  behind  the  book  needs  interpreta- 
tion as  well  as  the  book  itself.  In  order  to  reach 
this  result  one  must  take  into  consideration  the  fac- 
tors that  make  up  character.  These  are  admitted  by- 
all  Christians  to  be  heredity,  environment,  choice  and 
the  grace  of  God. 

A  brief  sketch  of  the  life  and  career  of  William 
Dudley  Nowlin  is  therefore  appropriate  if  not  abso- 
lutely essential  in  this  Introduction.  The  Nowlin 
Genealogy,  prepared  by  Professor  James  Edmund 
Nowlin  of  the  University  of  Utah,  a  large  volume  of 
more  than  five  hundred  pages,  traces  the  descent  of 
our  author  through  the  centuries  back  to  Irish  roy- 
alty. His  American  forbears  began  life  in  Virginia. 
From  the  Old  Dominion  they  emigrated  to  Tennessee. 
In  Weakley  county  of  that  state  William  Dudley 
Nowlin  was  born  March  10,  1864.  The  home  into 
which  he  was  introduced  was  surcharged  with  a  Chris- 
tian atmosphere.  His  parents,  William  David  Now- 
lin and  his  mother,  nee  Caroline  Glass,  were  both 
righteous  before  God  and  reared  their  son  in  the  nur- 
ture and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  Like  the  over- 
whelming numbers  of  the  Baptist  ministry  he  was 
brought  up  on  a  farm  and  enjoyed  unusual  physical 
development  in  God's  great  out  of  doors.  He  is  the 
second  of  nine  children. 

To  become  a  Baptist,  one  has  said  in  harmony 
with  the  teachings  of  Jesus,  one  must  be  born  again. 
This  new  experience  came  to  our  author  in  his  six- 
teenth year  and  was  followed  by  baptism  and  union 
with  the  church. 

At  the  time  he  received  his  call  to  the  work  of  the 
Gospel  ministry  Nowlin  was  conducting  successfully 

9 


10  Introduction 

a  large  drug  business.  His  response  to  that  call 
involved  financial  sacrifices.  Realizing  his  need  of 
more  thorough  training  for  his  most  responsible  voca- 
tion he  went  to  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Sem- 
inary and  there  completed  his  course  in  three  years. 
Added  to  this  training  was  special  study  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Chicago.  Because  of  his  studious  habits, 
wide  reading,  varied  experience  and  philosophic  tem- 
per united  to  pastoral  efficiency  and  unsullied  devo- 
tion to  duty  Georgetown  college  conferred  on  him  the 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity,  and  Union  University 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws. 

Few  among  his  contemporaries  have  disclosed  a 
greater  variety  of  gifts  and  accomplishments  than  are 
exhibited  in  the  ministry  of  Dr.  Nowlin,  His  pas- 
torates have  been  held  in  several  states,  Tennessee, 
Florida  and  Kentucky,  and  far  beyond  their  borders 
his  influence  has  extended  through  his  contributions 
to  the  press  and  his  evangelistic  preaching.  Espe- 
cially is  his  name  a  household  word  in  Kentucky  in 
which  state  his  leadership  in  denominational  affairs 
has  given  him  an  enviable  preeminence. 

Limited  space  forbids  an  enumeration  of  all  the 
details  of  Dr.  Nowlin 's  multitudinous  services  to  the 
kingdom  of  God  as  orator,  executive  officer,  preacher, 
pastor,  editor,  author,  and  sane,  sound,  safe  coun- 
sellor in  the  assemblies  of  his  brethren.  Quite  recently 
his  pen  has  given  to  the  denomination  a  book  entitled 
''Fundamentals  of  the  Faith,"  which,  in  the  judg- 
ment of  the  most  competent  critics  among  us,  is  des- 
tined to  be  a  text  book  in  our  Southern  Baptist  schools 
and  colleges. 

Dr.  Nowlin  is  at  this  time  vice  president  of  the 
S.  B.  Convention. 

The  Kentucky  Baptist  General  Association  with  a 
due  regard  for  character,  culture  and  disinterested 
devotion  to  truth,  accuracy,  comprehensiveness,  and 
fairness  chose  Dr.  Nowlin  as  the  one  man  capable  of 
writing  a  History  of  Kentucky  Baptists.  After  care- 
ful, painstaking,  laborious  and  tireless  effort  in  this 


Introditction  11 

direction  running  through  several  years  he  presents 
his  work  to  the  judgment  of  his  brethren  and  to  all 
others  interested  in  the  annals  of  the  largest  group  of 
Christians  in  this  commonwealth.  These  pages  which 
follow  may  not  be  free  from  imperfections,  to  which 
all  historians  are  liable,  but  it  is  believed  that  on  the 
whole  the  subject  matter  comes  up  to  all  the  require- 
ments of  a  clear,  candid  and  impartial  presentation 
of  the  facts  as  known  to  the  writer.  If  history  be 
philosophy  teaching  by  example  it  befits  all  Baptists 
to  read  this  work  for  an  intelligent  understanding  of 
how  God,  through  our  people,  has  worked  out  his  pur- 
poses in  the  spiritual  activities  of  Kentucky  Baptists. 

W.  W.  Landbum. 

Bethel  College,  June,  1922. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTEE  PAGE 

I.     Period  op  Preparation 17 

Daniel  Boone  and  his  brother  Sqiiire  exploring 
Kentucky. 

Lord  Dunmore's  war  waged  by  Americans  and 
for  America. 

George  Eoger  Clark's  brilliant  campaigns. 

General   Harrison's    annihilation    of   the   British 
and  Indian  forces. 
II.     The  First  Preaching  in  Kentucky 22 

Elder  Squire  Boone  the  first  preacher  in  Ken- 
tucky. 

Preacher  Boone  marries  the  first  couple  in  Ken- 
tucky, 

The  first  recorded  preaching  in  Kentucky,  by 
Jno.  Lythe,  Episcopalian. 

First  Baptist  Preaching  on  record,  by  Thos. 
Tinsley  and  Wm.  Hickman. 

Filson  says  "Anabaptists  were  the  first  to  pro- 
mote public  worship  in  Kentucky."  First 
preaching  in  Kentucky  by  Baptists. 

III.  The  First  Churches  Constituted — 1781 29 

Severn's  Valley  Constituted  June  18,  1781 — First 
church  in  Kentucky. 

Cedar  Creek,  Nelson  County,  July  4,  1781 — 
Second  church  in  Kentucky. 

Gilbert's  Creek — Lewis  Craig's  church — Decem- 
ber, 1781. 

Long  list  of  churches  constituted  between  1781 
and  1791,  with  their  locations  and  the  names 
of  the  preachers  who  constituted  them. 

Theodore  Eoosevelt  in  error  about  Eeformed 
Dutch   Church  in   Kentucky,   1780. 

Two  old  subscription  lists — Whiskey. 

IV.  The  First  Associations  Constituted — 1785....     43 

Elkhorn  constituted  October  1,  1785 — the  first 
in  Kentucky. 

Salem  constituted  October  29,  1785 — the  second. 

South  Kentucky,  May,  1788.     Other  associations 
constituted.     Summary  of  the  seventy-six  asso- 
ciations in  Kentucky. 
13 


14  Contents 

CHAPTaft  PAOE 

V.    Thb  Geeat  Revival  of  1800 C2 

This  revival  began  in  1797  under  preaching  of 
Presbyterians, 

Marked  msntal  and  spiritual  phenomena  mani- 
fested. 

Baptists  took  little  part  in  these  excesses.    Good 
accomplished. 
VI.    The  Eegulab  and  Sepajjate  Baptists  in  Ken- 
tucky  United — 1801    66 

History  of  Eegular  and  Separate  Baptists. 

History   of  the    Union.      Terms    of   the    Union. 
The  Union  effective. 
VII.    The  Emancipation  Rupture — 1807 71 

Agitation  of  the  slavery  question  began  in  Ken- 
tucky as  early  as  1789. 

The  slavery  agitation  in  Virginia. 

The  rupture  occurred  1807.     Emancipation  asso- 
ciation formed. 

Association  dwindled  and  died.     No  permanent 
split. 
VIII.     The   Campbellian   Split— 1830 78 

Alexander  Campbell  landed  in  the  United  States 
1809. 

Campbell  began  his  preaching  in   Kentucky  in 
1823  as  a  Baptist. 

A  definite  separation  between  Baptists  and  Dis- 
ciples effected  1830. 

The  Disciples  opposed,  strenuously,  the  separa- 
tion.    Division  forced. 

The  doctrinal  statement  drawing  the  line.    Camp- 
beUism  on  the  decline.     Has  lost  its  proselyt- 
ing propaganda. 
IX.     The  Anti-Mission  Split — 1832  to  1842 '  100 

Early   Baptists   in   Kentucky   all   missionary   in 
spirit  and  practice. 

John  Taylor,  anti-mission  leader,  was  one  time 
a  missionary. 

Daniel  Parker  and  "Two-Seed"  doctrine.     Camp- 
bell anti-missionary. 

The  division  in  various  associations. 
X.    The  Kentucky  Baptist  Convention — 1832 116 

Kentucky  Baptifit  convention  of  few  days  and 
full  of  troubles. 

Constitution    of   the   Baptist   State   Convention. 

Baptists  afraid  of  conventions.     The  convention 
dies. 

Has  but  few  mourners. 


Contents  15 

OHAPTEK  PAGK 

XI.    The  General  Association  Constituted — 1837..  124 

General  Association  of  Baptists  in  Kentucky 
strikes  a  more  lesponsive  chord. 

Constitution  of  General  Association.     Historical 
table   of   General   Association   for   eighty-five 
years. 
XII.    The  Gospel  Mission  Deflection — 1894 130 

The  spirit  of  Gospel  missions. 

Gospel  missions  in  their  beginning  in  Kentucky. 

What  they  have  accomplished. 

Inconsistent  claims. 
XIII.     The   Whitsitt   Controversy — 1896 142 

When  it  began.     The  occasion. 

Johnson's  Encyclopedia  article.  Independent 
editorials.     Great  disturbances. 

Action  of  S.  B.  Convention.    Action  of  Kentucky 
Baptists.     Doctor  Whitsitt's  resignation. 
XIV.    The  Unification  Program  and  Great  Forward 

Movement — 1919    155 

The  year  1919  a  great  year. 

The  two  Baptist  papers  in  Kentucky  consolidated. 

The  great  forward  movement  in  all  benevolent 
objects.     Financial  reports. 
XV.     Kentucky  Baptist  Institutions 163 

Western  Becorder — Three  editors  not  mentioned 
by  Spencer;  paper  not  suspended  from  1861 
to  1863  as  claimed.  Georgetown  College — 
Chartered  1829;  really  dates  back  to  1788; 
co-educational — standard.  Bethel  College — 
1849;  standard  junior;  list  of  presidents. 
Bethel  Woman's  College — 1854;  new  presi- 
dent; new  buildings;  new  spirit.  Louisville 
Baptist  Orphans  Home — Cumberland  College — 
Baptist  Ministers  Aid  Society — Riissell  Creek 
Baptist  Academy — Kentucky  Baptist  Chil- 
dren's Rome — S.  B.  Theological  Seminary. 
XVI.     The  Mystery  of  Lincoln's  Eeligion  Cleared  Up  187 

The  Lincolns  in  Kentucky  were  Baptists.  Lin- 
colns  were  anti-slavery  but  not  anti-mission. 
The  Little  Pigeon  Baptist  Church,  near  Lin- 
coln City,  Indiana,  where  Lincoln  joined  after 
leaving  Kentucky,  is  now  a  Hardshell  Baptist 
Church.  Abraham  Lincoln's  simple  Baptist 
faith  never  left  him. 

Lincoln  and  his  Bible. 

A  man  of  faith  and  a  man  of  prayer. 


Kentucky  Baptist  History 

1770—1922 

CHAPTER  I 
Period  op  Preparation 

' '  0  memory,  thou  choicest  blessing,  on  thy  speedy 
wing  bear  us  back  to  the  time  when  our  country  was 
young;  and  thou,  Description,  show  us  the  scenes 
which  met  the  vision  of  our  heroic  ancestors." 

In  the  year  1770  we  find  Squire  Boone,  a  Baptist 
preacher  on  Kentucky  soil ;  and  so  far  as  records 
show  the  only  Baptist  in  that,  then  vast  wilderness, 
now  known  as  Kentucky.  The  first  settlers  of  Ken- 
tucky beheld  at  the  base  of  the  great  forests  and  rich 
herbage  a  soil  as  fertile  as  that  of  the  Nile  valley  of 
Egypt,  and  in  marked  contrast  with  the  sterile  coun- 
try of  the  settlements  in  the  East  from  which  they 
had  come.  Amid  these  scenes  of  natural  beauty 
roamed  the  fleet-footed  deer,  the  stately  elk,  the  surly 
bear,  the  cunning  wolf,  the  sly  fox,  the  crafty  pan- 
ther, the  majestic  buffalo,  the  graceful  swan,  the  shy 
turkey,  the  timid  goose,  the  clumsy  duck,  and  other 
game  without  number.  The  flowing  springs,  cool  and 
refreshing,  sprang  out  of  the  ground,  and  coursed 
their  way  amid  banks  of  grass  and  flowers,  or  under 
hanging  vines,  to  the  creeks  and  rivers.  No  wonder 
that  Daniel  Boone  said  that  he  had  "found  a  para- 
dise in  the  great  wilds  beyond  the  mountains." 
Roosevelt  says  ("The  Winning  of  the  West,"  Vol.  II, 
p.  37)  "Lord  Dunmore's  war  waged  by  Americans  for 
the  good  of  America  was  the  opening  act  in  the 
drama  whereof  the  closing  scene  was  played  at  York- 

17 

2 


18  Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

town.  It  made  possible  the  two-fold  character  of  the 
Revolutionary  War,  wherein  on  the  one  hand  the 
Americans  won  by  conquest  and  colonization  new 
lands  for  their  children,  and  on  the  other  wrought 
out  their  national  independence  of  the  British  king. 
Save  for  Lord  Dunmore's  war  we  could  not  have  set- 
tled beyond  the  mountains  until  after  we  had  ended 
our  quarrel  with  our  kinsfolk  across  the  sea.  It  so 
cowed  the  northern  Indians  that  for  two  or  three 
years  they  made  no  further  organized  effort  to  check 
the  white  advance.  In  consequence,  the  Kentucky 
pioneers  had  only  to  contend  with  small  parties  of 
enemies  until  time  had  been  given  them  to  become  so 
firmly  rooted  in  the  land  that  it  proved  impossible  to 
oust  them." 

The  population,  at  the  close  of  the  third  decade  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  of  all  that  portion  of  the 
United  States  lying  between  the  Alleghany  Moun- 
tains and  Mississippi  River  was  estimated  at  three 
millions. 

But  sixty  years  before  this  we  find  Daniel  Boone 
and  his  brother  Squire  exploring  the  wilderness  of 
Kentucky.  About  the  year  1778-9  a  young  Virginian, 
George  Rogers  Clark,  hearing  of  an  attempt  on  the  part 
of  Colonel  Hamilton  then  in  command  of  the  British 
forces  at  Detroit,  to  stir  up  all  the  western  tribes  of 
Indians  to  a  concerted  attack  upon  the  frontier,  un- 
dertook to  prevent  the  frightful  consequences  which 
such  an  attack,  should  it  be  successful,  would  produce. 
Clark  in  two  short  and  brilliant  campaigns  conquered 
and  captured  Hamilton  at  Vincennes  and  concluded 
his  enterprise  by  capturing  and  holding  all  the  terri- 
tory north  of  the  Ohio  River  and  extending  from  the 
AUeghanies  to  the  Mississippi.  The  restless  pioneers 
yearning  for  the  Great  West  inspired  by  the  daring 
of  such  champions  as  Boone  and  Robertson,  and 
encouraged  by  the  victories  of  Clark  to  hope  for  rea- 
sonable exemption  from  Indian  attacks  now  began  the 
westward  march.  Long  wagon  trains  and  strings  of 
pack-horses  could  frequently  be  seen  dragging  their 


Period  of  Preparation  19 

tedious  lengths  across  the  mountain  passes,  and  ere 
long  the  rude  log  cabins  and  the  well-tilled  farms  gave 
unmistakable  evidence  of  the  presence  of  the  hardy 
and  prosperous  pioneer.  Soon,  however,  the  second 
war  with  England  engaged  the  attention  of  all  on 
both  sides  of  the  mountains,  and  in  consequence,  the 
Indian  depredations  in  the  Northwest  and  Southwest 
were  poor  inducements  with  which  to  lure  would-be 
emigrants  from  the  other  side.  The  conflict  between 
America  and  the  mother  country  happily  proved  of 
short  duration,  the  latter  acquiescing  in  aU  the 
demands  which  the  victorious  nation  imposed  upon 
her,  thereby  strengthening  the  American  feeling  of 
nationality  and  showing  her  power.  Moreover  during 
the  War  General  Harrison  completely  annihilated  the 
combined  British  and  Indian  forces  in  the  battle  of 
the  Thames  and  so  presently  recovered  the  Northwest 
territory,  while  Andrew  Jackson  at  the  head  of  a  few 
United  States  regulars  in  a  bloody  campaign  of  six  or 
seven  months,  which  was  brought  to  a  successful  ter- 
mination by  the  battle  of  Tallapoosa  in  March,  1814, 
delivered  a  crushing  blow  to  the  Indian  forces  in  the 
Southwest.  Thus  from  the  mountains  to  the  Missis- 
sippi the  settlers  were  again  relieved  of  the  fear  of 
attack  from  the  cruel  red  man.  Shortly  before  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war  a  steamboat  was  launched  on 
the  Ohio  at  Pittsburgh  and  it  was  not  long  thereafter 
until  the  Ohio,  with  its  tributaries,  was  provided  with 
many  such  vessels  bearing  a  constantly  increasing 
stream  of  emigrants  to  their  western  homes.  The  suc- 
cessful termination  of  the  war  which  begat  a  feeling 
of  safetj^  and  the  introduction  of  steamboat  travel, 
which  greatly  facilitated  means  of  communication, 
undoubtedly  had  much  to  do  with  the  westward 
expansion  which  now  is  only  necessary  to  recall  the 
fact  that  each  year  for  four  consecutive  years,  a  new 
state  in  the  Mississippi  valley  was  added  to  the  Union. 
This  was  a  marvelous  growth.  The  integrity  of  our 
possessions  being  now  assured,  and  immunity  from 
the  aggressions  of  Indians  guaranteed,  the  tide  of 


20         Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

population  temporarily  held  back,  now  set  in  again 
from  the  East  with  increased  volume  and  momentum, 
and  there  was  accordingly  ushered  in  for  "the  next 
fifty  years  a  material  growth  without  a  parallel  in 
history."  The  people  who  came  West  were  inclined 
to  be  religious.  Theodore  Roosevelt  ("Winning  of  the 
West,"  Vol.  I,  p.  69)  says  in  speaking  of  the  character 
of  these  pioneers,  "At  the  bottom  they  were  deeply 
religious  in  their  tendencies;  and  although  ministers 
and  meeting  houses  were  rare,  yet  the  backwoods 
cabins  often  contained  Bibles  and  the  mothers  used 
to  instill  into  the  minds  of  their  children  reverence 
for  Sunday." 

It  is  a  great  error,  however,  to  suppose  that  repre- 
sentatives of  the  other  Christian  faiths  were  not  found 
among  the  great  numbers  that  now  poured  into  the 
Middle  West.  There  were  many  of  all  denominations, 
especially  Presbyterians,  who  were  second  to  the  Bap- 
tists in  establishing  churches  in  Kentucky,  and  quite 
valiantly  did  they  bear  themselves  in  the  struggle  to 
improve  not  only  their  material,  but  the  moral  condi- 
tions in  their  new  homes.  It  is  not  our  purpose  nor 
desire  to  derogate  a  tithe  from  the  praise  due  to  other 
denominations  for  their  contribution  to  the  moral 
enlightenment  of  the  new  territory,  and  yet  to  the 
Baptists  is  due  the  credit  of  first  proclaiming  the 
story  of  the  cross  in  this  great  western  wilderness. 

It  appears  that  Daniel  Boone  was  not  a  Baptist, 
but  several  members  of  his  family  were,  and  a  brother. 
Squire  Boone,  was  a  Baptist  preacher  before  coming 
to  Kentucky.  Many  of  the  first  settlers  in  Kentucky 
were  Baptists. 

"As  in  Kentucky  so  in  Ohio.  The  first  church 
organized  in  the  Northwest  territory  was  the  Colum- 
bia Baptist,  whose  date  is  January  20,  1790.  The  Co- 
lumbia Township  was  then  about  five  miles  from  what 
is  now  the  site  of  Cincinnati — the  growth  of  the  latter 
city  having  brought  Columbia  within  her  corporate 
limits.  In  1889  a  monument  commemorative  of  this 
event  was  erected  on  the  site  of  the  first  house  of  wor- 


Period  of  Preparation  21 

ship  built  by  the  church.  Two  inscriptions  recite  the 
date  of  the  coming  of  the  Baptist  pioneers,  the  date 
of  organization,  the  name  of  the  constituent  members 
and  the  purchase  of  two  acres  of  ground  as  a  building 
lot  from  Maj,  Benjamin  Stites,  who  was  at  the  head 
of  the  first  band  of  pioneers  that  settled  on  Ohio  soil 
and  who  later  became  a  prominent  member  of  this 
church. ' ' 

The  same  is  true  of  Illinois.  In  Illinois  territory 
in  1786,  thirty-two  years  before  its  admission  as  a 
state,  the  Lemen  family  had  founded  the  first  church, 
organized  the  first  association  and  were  the  leaders  in 
the  anti-slavery  movement  before  the  days  of  Parker, 
Phillips  and  Garrison  who  led  the  later  ''abolition" 
crusade. 

In  the  region  beyond  the  Mississippi  the  word  of 
the  Lord  sounded  forth,  and  here  again,  according  to 
Newman,  the  Baptists  were  the  first  to  proclaim  it, 
and  so  the  above  facts  would  seem  to  indicate  that  it 
would  not  be  difficult  to  prove  that  the  Baptists  were 
the  first  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  the  valley  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi; and  in  reading  the  record  of  those  days  of 
toil  and  privation  it  is  interesting  indeed  to  meet  with 
the  names  of  those  who  became  the  noble  progenitors 
of  sons  and  daughters  who  today  in  secular  and  relig- 
ious pursuits  are  bearing  themselves  worthily  and,  by 
their  devotion  to  the  cause  for  which  their  fathers 
suffered,  and  for  which  many  of  them  died,  show  that 
they  are  not  insensible  to  the  high  source  from  which 
they  sprang.  The  period  of  preparation  for  our  Bap- 
tist hosts  of  Kentucky  was  a  period  of  heroic  struggle 
and  grand  achievements. 


CHAPTER  II 

The  First  Preaching  in  Kentucky 

There  has  been  much  misunderstanding  and  dif- 
ference of  opinion  as  to  who  did  the  first  preaching  in 
Kentucky.  It  was  maintained  for  quite  a  while  by 
the  Baptists  and  some  others,  that  Thomas  Tinsley 
and  William  Hickman,  Baptist  ministers,  did  the  first 
preaching  in  Kentucky  at  Harrodsburg  in  1776,  but 
this  is  an  error,  for  Collins  in  his  "History  of  Ken- 
tucky" says  (page  501,  Vol.  2)  "Sunday  28,  May, 
divine  service  for  the  first  time  in  Kentucky  was  per- 
formed by  the  Rev.  John  Lythe."  And  again  (Vol. 
I,  page  441)  Collins  says:  "The  Rev.  John  Lythe  of 
the  Episcopal  Church,  or  the  Church  of  England, 
came  early  to  Kentucky.  When  Col.  Henderson  estab- 
lished his  proprietary  government  in  1775  Mr.  Lythe 
was  a  delegate  from  the  Harrodsburg  station,  or  set- 
tlement, to  the  legislative  assembly.  The  delegates 
met  on  the  23d  of  May,  1775,  and  the  assembly  having 
organized,  divine  service  was  performed  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Lythe,  one  of  the  delegates  from  Harrodsburg." 
Again  in  this  same  volume  (page  515)  "The  first 
clergyman  ever  in  Kentucky  was  the  Rev.  John  Lythe 
of  the  Church  of  England  who  came  to  Harrodsburg 
April,  1775.  This  same  preacher  held  the  first  preach- 
ing, or  divine  service,  at  Boonesborough  on  Sunday, 
May  28,  1775,  under  the  shade  of  a  magnificent  elm 
tree."  This  was  the  Sunday  following  Henderson's 
convention.  Yet  on  page  416  of  this  volume  (I)  in 
speaking  of  William  Hickman,  Sr.,  Collins  says,  "He 
was  the  first  to  proclaim  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ  in  the  valley  of  the  Kentucky."  Collins  thus 
contradicts  himself.  Z.  F.  Smith  in  his  History  of 
Kentucky  (Youth's  edition,  p.  89)  says  "Rev.  John 
Lythe,  of  the  Church  of  England,  conducted  the  first 


The  First  Preaching  in  Kentucky  23 

religious  services  known  to  have  been  held  at  Boones- 
borough  May  28,  1775."  He  adds,  however,  "There 
may  have  been  other  religious  services,  and  in  other 
places,  even  earlier  than  this  of  which  history  does  not 
give  account."  Now  this  last  clause,  I  am  sure,  con- 
tains the  truth.  According  to  history  Squire  Boone, 
a  Baptist  preacher,  was  in  Kentucky  five  years  before 
the  Rev.  John  Lythe  came.  Cathcart  in  his  "Bap- 
tist Encyclopedia"  says  (Vol.  I,  p.  113)  in  speak- 
ing of  Squire  Boone,  "It  is  not  known  at  what  period 
he  united  with  the  church  or  when  he  began  to  preach, 
but  it  was  previous  to  his  removal  to  the  West,"  the 
date  of  which  he  gives  as  ' '  1770. ' ' 

According  to  Collins'  History  of  Kentucky  (Vol. 
II,  p.  56)  on  "the  22d  December,  1769"  Daniel  Boone 
and  Stuart  were  captured  by  the  Indians  and  held  by 
their  captors  "seven  days,  after  which  they  escaped 
and  returned  to  their  camp  which  they  found  dis- 
mantled and  deserted."  This  would  put  the  date  of 
"their  return  to  their  camp"  probably  December  30th 
or  31st.  Collins  then  adds,  "A  few  days  after  this, 
they  were  joined  by  Squire  Boone,  a  brother  of  the 
great  pioneer."  This  would  make  the  date  of  the 
meeting  of  the  brothers  some  time  in  January, 
1770,  which  is  in  perfect  accord  with  other  state- 
ments concerning  Squire  Boone's  arrival  in  Ken- 
tucky. 

Dr.  Spencer  is  in  error  when  he,  in  his  "Preface" 
to  his  "History  of  Kentucky  Baptists"  (page  9) 
speaks  of  giving  "the  history  of  the  Baptists  in  Ken- 
tucky, from  the  time  that  Elder  Squire  Boone  first  set 
his  foot  on  the  soil  of  the  unexplored  wilderness,  in 
the  spring  of  1769,  down  to  the  year  1885,"  for  Col- 
lins' "History  of  Kentucky"  (Vol.  II,  p.  711)  says 
"Late  in  the  fall  of  1769,  Squire  Boone  and  another 
adventurer  (name  unknown)  left  the  Yadkin  in 
search  of  his  brother  Daniel, ' '  who  * '  had  gone  to  the 
wilds  of  Kentucky  on  the  1st  of  May  preceding." 
Squire  Boone  was  probably  on  Kentucky  soil  in  the 
winter  of  1769,  but  history  does  not  record  the  fact. 


24  Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

In  Daniel  Boone's  autobiography,  dictated  to  John 
Filson  in  1784,  as  quoted  by  Collins  (Vol.  II,  p.  711) 
Daniel  Boone  says  ' '  On  May  1,  1770,  Squire  returned 
home  to  the  settlement  by  himself — for  a  new  recruit 
of  horses  and  ammunition,  leaving  Daniel  by  himself, 
without  bread,  salt  or  sugar,  without  company  of  his 
fellow  creatures,  or  even  a  horse  or  dog.  On  July  27, 
1770,  Squire  met  him,  according  to  appointment,  at 
the  old  camp, ' '  with  the  supplies.  So  there  is  no  ques- 
tion about  Squire  Boone  being  in  Kentucky  in  1770. 
John  Lythe  arrived  in  Kentucky  ''April,  1775."  On 
page  87  Smith's  History  in  giving  an  account  of  the 
marriage  of  Sam  Henderson  and  Elizabeth  Calloway 
(one  of  the  girls  captured  by  the  Indians  and  later 
rescued)  says  "Squire  Boone,  then  an  ordained  min- 
ister of  the  Baptist  Church,  performed  the  first  cere- 
mony in  Kentucky."  The  marriage  was  one  month 
after  the  rescue.  Collins  gives  the  date  of  this  mar- 
riage as  1776  (Vol.  I,  p.  511)  and  says  it  was  "per- 
formed by  Squire  Boone  a  preacher  of  the  Calvinistic 
Baptist  Church. ' '  This  shows  that  Squire  Boone  was 
an  active  minister  of  the  gospel. 

Now,  if  Squire  Boone  was  a  Baptist  "Preacher 
before  his  removal  to  the  West, ' '  as  Cathcart  says,  and 
if  he  was  active  as  a  minister  in  Kentucky,  marrying 
people,  as  history  shows,  and  if  there  were  "309  Bap- 
tists in  Kentucky  in  1774"  as  Asplund's  Register 
records  (quoted  by  Dr.  W.  P.  Harvey  in  "Life  and 
Times  of  William  Hickman,"  p.  3)  one  year  before 
Henderson's  Convention,  it  stands  to  reason  that 
there  had  been  some  Baptist  preaching  done  in  Ken- 
tucky before  Henderson's  Convention  of  May,  1775. 
The  preaching  of  Mr.  Lythe  in  May,  1775,  is  the  first 
of  which  we  have  any  record,  and  we  would  have  had 
no  record  of  this  had  it  not  taken  place  in  connection 
with  this  convention,  of  which  a  record  was  kept. 
Dr.  W,  C.  James  in  his  "Western  Baptist  Theological 
Institute"  of  Covington,  Kentucky,  says  "Squire 
Boone,  a  Baptist  preacher,  was  the  first  man  to  preach 
the  gospel  in  Kentucky    and    perhaps    in  the  whole 


The  First  Preaching  in  Kentucky  25 

West. "  It  is  quite  clear  that  the  Rev.  Squire  Boone 
was  the  first  preacher  in  Kentucky,  and  as  he  was 
here  several  years  prior  to  Henderson's  Convention 
active  as  a  minister  we  think  Dr.  James  is  eminently 
correct  in  saying  he  ^'was  the  first  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel in  Kentucky. ' '  This  is  peculiarly  true  since  Bap- 
tists have  always  been  a  preaching  people. 

John  Filson  in  his  history  of  Kentucky,  the  date 
of  which  is  1784,  says  on  page  301  in  speaking  of 
the  "manners  and  customs"  of  the  people  of  Ken- 
tucky, "they  have  a  diversity  of  manners,  customs, 
and  religions,  which  may  in  time  perhaps  be  modified 
to  one  uniform."  He  then  adds  "The  Anabaptists 
were  the  first  that  promoted  public  worship  in  Ken- 
tucky. "  It  is  worth  noticing  that  the  Baptists  as  late 
as  1784  were  called  "Anabaptists"  by  this  historian. 
This  shows  that  the  people  now  called  Baptists  were 
once  called  Anabaptists. 

To  "promote  public  worship"  evidently  meant 
"held  preaching  services,"  as  this  is  the  way  Bap- 
tists promoted  public  worship.  One  can  hardly  reach 
any  other  conclusion.  Daniel  Boone,  Levi  Todd  and 
James  Harrod,  according  to  a  signed  statement,  read 
and  revised  Filson 's  history,  and  they  declare  it  to  be 
"as  accurate  as  can  possiMy  be  made."  (page  271 — 
Date,  May,  1784).  Here  is  a  statement  by  the  ear- 
liest historian  in  Kentucky,  that  the  Baptists  first  pro- 
moted public  worship  in  Kentucky,  and  this  statement 
has  the  endorsement  of  three  of  the  earliest  settlers, 
who  were,  as  they  say,  "well  acquainted  with  the 
country  from  its  first  settlement."  Davidson  in  his 
history  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Kentucky,  page 
86,  referring  to  the  pioneer  Baptists  of  Kentucky 
says :  "To  them  belongs  the  credit  of  having  been  the 
first  to  inaugurate  the  regular  public  worship  of  God 
and  the  organization  of  churches. ' '  This  should  settle 
the  question  beyond  any  doubt  that  the  Baptists  were 
the  first  to  conduct  public  worship  in  Kentucky,  or 
did  the  first  preaching  in  the  state,  and  established 
the  first  churches. 


26         Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

The  first  record  we  have  of  Baptists  preaching  in 
Kentucky  is  the  preaching  of  the  Kevs.  Thomas  Tins- 
ley  and  William  Hickman,  which  was  in  April,  1776, 
at  Harrodsburg,  In  "The  Life  and  Travels  of  Wil- 
liam Hickman"  he  writes  "We  got  to  Harrodsburg 
the  first  day  of  April,  1776.  Myself,  Brother  Thomas 
Tinsley,  my  old  friend,  Mr.  Morton,  took  our  lodging 
at  Mr.  John  Gordon's,  four  miles  from  town. 

"Mr.  Tinsley  was  a  good  old  preacher,  Mr.  Mor- 
ton a  good  pious  Presbyterian  and  love  and  friend- 
ship abounded  among  us.  We  went  nearly  every  Sun- 
day to  town  to  hear  Mr.  Tinsley  preach.  I  generally 
concluded  his  meetings.  One  Sunday  morning  sitting 
at  the  head  of  a  spring  at  this  place,  he  laid  his  Bible 
on  my  thigh  and  said,  'You  must  preach  today.'  He 
said  if  I  did  not  he  would  not.  It  set  me  in  a  tremor. 
I  knew  he  would  not  draw  back.  I  took  the  book  and 
turned  to  the  23d  chapter  of  Numbers  and  tenth 
verse:  'Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous  and 
let  my  last  end  be  like  his.'  "  The  above  is  from 
"The  Life  and  Times  of  William  Hickman"  as 
quoted  in  Publication  No.  1  of  the  Kentucky  Bap- 
tist Historical  Society  (page  6)  by  W.  J.  McGlothlin, 
D.D. 

Elder  John  Taylor  in  his  "History  of  Ten 
Churches"  (page  48)  says  of  William  Hickman:  "In 
'76  he  paid  a  visit  to  Kentucky  and  here  the  same 
year  he  first  began  to  preach."  From  this  date  we 
have  no  trouble  finding  records  of  Baptist  preaching 
in  the  State,  though  as  yet  there  is  no  Baptist  organi- 
zation on  Kentucky  soil. 

Benedict  in  his  History  of  the  Baptists,  (page 
811)  says  of  Kentucky:  "Many  of  the  early  settlers 
of  this  state  were  Baptists.  Some  came  as  early  as 
1775,  and  several  Baptist  ministers,  among  whom 
were  the  late  John  Taylor,  and  Lewis  Lunsford, 
(known  in  Virginia  as  THE  WONDERFUL  BOY), 
made  a  visit  to  this  land  of  promise.  They  returned 
to  Virginia  for  a  period,  without  constituting  any 
churches.    The  few  brethren  they  found  in  the  coun- 


The  First  Preaching  in  Kentucky  27 

try  were  in  an  unpleasant  state,  cold  and  neglectful 
in  religion,  constantly  exposed  to  Indian  depreda- 
tions, and  destitute  of  provisions  in  a  great  measure, 
except  what  the  wild  game  furnished.  The  soil  was 
luxuriant,  and  the  country  enriched  with  all  the  beau- 
ties of  uncultivated  nature.  The  people  lived  in 
'stations'  or  forts.  These  ministers  preached  a  few 
times,  and  gave  the  people  such  advice  as  suited  their 
circumstances. 

''About  1781,  several  Baptist  preachers  and  many 
brethren  migrated  to  this  new  country.  At  that 
period,  removal  from  Virginia  to  Kentucky  was  a 
slow  and  hazardous  business.  Two  modes  were 
adopted,  one  by  land,  the  other  by  water.  The  first 
was  performed  on  horseback,  with  a  few  bare  necessa- 
ries of  life  on  pack  horses,  over  a  vast  tract  of  moun- 
tainous wilderness.  Exposure  to  attacks  from  the 
Indians  compelled  them  to  perform  their  journeying^ 
in  caravans,  with  sentries  stationed  round  their  camps 
at  night.  The  other  mode  was  to  embark  on  the  Ohio 
river  in  a  flat  boat,  and  float  dow^n  with  the  current 
to  Limestone,  or  to  Bear-grass  Creek,  (now  Maysville 
and  Louisville)   the  two  principal  landings 

"The  Baptist  emigration  into  this  State  was,  in 
a  great  degree,  from  Virginia.  A  few  families  came 
from  the  Red  Stone  Country  in  Western  Pennsylva 
nia,  and  a  few  more  from  New  Jersey.  This  denomi 
nation  was  not  only  the  earliest  in  preaching  the  gos- 
pel and  forming  churches,  but  for  numbers  and 
influence  held  the  ascendency  for  many  years.  It  is 
still  the  most  numerous,  influential  and  wealthy 
denomination  in  the  state." 

At  the  close  of  the  American  war  a  flood  of  Bap- 
tists poured  into  Kentucky,  mostly  from  Virginia  by 
whom  a  number  of  churches  were  constituted. 

It  seems  to  be  a  well  established  fact  that  the  first 
preaching  in  Kentucky  was  by  the  Baptists. 

Mr.  Roosevelt  says:  "By  the  time  Kentucky  was 
settled  the  Baptists  had  begun  to  make  headway  on 
the  frontier,  at  the  expense  of  the  Presbyterians.  The 


28  Keniucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

rough  democracy  of  the  border  welcomed  a  sect  which 
was  itself  essentially  democratic. "  ("  The  Winning  of 
the  West,"  Vol.  II,  p.  113). 

We  think  the  facts  clearly  warrant  the  statement 
that  the  Baptists  did  the  first  preaching  in  Kentucky. 


CHAPTER  III 
The  First  Churches  Constituted — 1781 

''It  is  a  well  established  fact  in  history  that  the 
Baptists  were  the  pioneers,  of  religion  in  Kentucky. 
They  came  with  the  earliest  permanent  settlers, ' '  says 
Collins'  history. 

In  the  year  1780  many  Baptists,  chiefly  from  Vir- 
ginia removed  to  this  state  but  it  was  not  until  the 
summer  of  the  following  year  that  a  church  was  con- 
stituted. 

Severn's  Valley — June  18,  1781 

The  first  church  of  any  denomination  constituted 
on  Kentucky  soil,  so  far  as  history  shows,  was  the 
Severn's  Valley  Baptist  church  which  was  constituted 
June  18,  1781.  We  learn  from  Spencer's  History  of 
Kentucky  Baptists  (Vol.  I,  p.  21)  :  "There  are  facts 
and  circumstances  connected  with  the  early  history 
of  the  Church  with  Avhich  the  present  generation  is 
little  acquainted.  When  this  present  widespread  and 
favored  country  was  but  a  wilderness ;  when  not  a 
human  habitation  was  to  be  found  between  Louisville 
(then  called  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio)  and  Green  river, 
save  a  few  families,  who  had  ventured  to  Severn's 
Valley — a  dense  forest,  and  unexplored — and  com- 
menced a  rude  settlement  far  from  the  haunts  of  civi- 
lized man  ;  there  the  lamented  John  Gerrard,  a  minis- 
ter of  God,  came  like  John  the  Baptist,  'The  Voice  of 
One  Crying  in  the  Wilderness,'  and  finding  a  few  of 
the  disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  like  sheep  with- 
out a  shepherd,  on  the  18th  day  of  June,  1781,  they 
were  collected  together  under  a  green  sugar  tree ;  and 
in  the  fear  of  God,  in  church  covenant  gave  them- 
selves to  the  Lord  and  to  one  another,  and  were  con- 
stituted a  Baptist  Church,  named  after  Severn 's  Val- 

29 


30  Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

ley  and  the  creek  which  flows  through  it.  It  has  ever 
borne  the  same  name,  none  having  dared,  and  it  is 
hoped  never  may,  to  lay  impious  hands  upon  it  by 
changing  its  venerable  and  venerated  name — 'Sev- 
ern's Valley  Church.'  " 

From  "Haycraft's  History  of  Elizabethtown, 
Kentucky,  and  Its  Surroundings, ' '  which  was  written 
by  Samuel  Haycraft  and  published  in  the  Elizabeth- 
town  News  in  1869,  and  published  in  book  form  in 
1921,  we  gather  the  following  facts  concerning  the 
Severn 's  Valley  Baptist  Church,  which  is  now  located 
in  Elizabethtown. 

"On  the  17th  (this  should  be  the  18th)  day  of 
June,  1781,  under  the  shadow  of  a  green  sugar  tree, 
near  Haynes  Station,  a  Baptist  Church  was  consti- 
tuted with  eighteen  members,  by  Elder  William  Tay- 
lor and  Joseph  Barnett,  preachers,  with  Elder  John 
Gerrard,  who  was  ordained  first  pastor.  The  church 
was  called  the  Regular  Baptist  Church  of  Severn's 
Valley.  The  same  church  still  exists  in  Elizabeth- 
town  and  is  known  by  the  name  of  the  United  Bap- 
tist Church  of  Christ,  called  Severn's  Valley,  and  is 
now  the  oldest  Baptist  church  that  maintains  an  exis- 
tence in  Kentucky.  All  of  the  members  and  the 
preacher  emigrated  from  Virginia,  and  Elder  Gerrard 
might  have  been  emphatically  styled  'the  voice  of 
one  crying  in  the  wilderness.' 

"This  man  of  God  was  only  permitted  to  exercise 
the  functions  of  his  office  for  nine  months."  (Page 
14).  It  is  supposed  that  he  was  killed  by  the  In- 
dians, as  he  went  out  hunting  one  day  and  never 
returned,  and  as  the  wilderness  was  infested  with  hos- 
tile Indians  at  that  time. 

We  say  the  date  should  be  June  18,  not  17,  because 
the  history  of  Salem  Association  written  by  its  clerk, 
Spencer  Clack,  in  1826  says:  "On  Saturday,  the 
29th  of  October,  1785,  four  Regular  Baptist  Churches 
met  at  Cox's  Creek,  Nelson  County,  Kentucky,  by 
their  delegates,  in  order  to  form  an  association,  and, 
after  a  suitable  sermon  on  the  occasion,  preached  by 


The  First  Churches  Constituted^l781         31 

our  brother,  Joseph  Barnett,  from  the  first  chapter  of 
John  and  17th  verse,  proeeded  to  business.  Brother 
Joseph  Barnett  was  made  moderatio,  and  Brother 
Andrew  Paul,  clerk. 

'  *  I.  Letters  from  four  churches  were  read,  viz. : 
Sevems  Valley,  constituted  June  eighteen,  seven  hun- 
dred and  eighty-one,  number  of  members,  thirty-seven. 
No  pastor."  The  number  of  members,  of  course, 
refers  to  the  number  when  the  church  went  into  the 
association — not  when  constituted. 

Another  reason  why  we  say  the  date  (June  17)  in 
Haycraf t  's  history  is  incorrect :  we  find  that  this  same 
Samuel  Haycraf t  published  a  history  of  Severn 's  Val- 
ley Church  in  Ford's  Christian  Repository  of  April, 
1857,  in  which  he  stated  that  "The  church  was  con- 
stituted of  18  members,  June  18,  1781,  under  a 
green  sugar  tree,  about  a  half  mile  from  the  present 
limit  of  Elizabethtown,  the  county  seat  of  Hardin." 
This  was  while  Mr.  Haycraft  was  living,  and  if  the 
date  had  been  published  incorrectly  he  evidently 
would  have  said  so. 

Mr.  Haycraft,  on  the  next  page  (15)  of  his  his- 
tory, gives  a  very  interesting  account  of  the  manners 
and  customs  of  the  members  of  this  old  church,  which 
we  here  reproduce: 

' '  Church  going  folks  of  the  present  day  who  make 
it  a  point  to  appear  in  their  best  attire  at  the  public 
religious  services  might  feel  some  curiosity  to  know 
how  our  ancestors  appeared  on  such  occasions,  and  I 
hope  they  will  not  blush  at  the  description.  I 
received  my  impression  from  Jacob  Vanmeter,  who 
was  the  younger  Jacob  Vanmeter  in  the  original  con- 
stitution of  the  church.  He  died  a  few  years  since  at 
the  advanced  age  of  about  ninety-five,  having  been  a 
Baptist  about  eighty-four  years. 

"They  then  had  no  house  of  worship.  In  the  sum- 
mer time  they  worshipped  in  the  open  air,  in  the  win- 
ter time  they  met  in  the  round-log  cabins  with  dirt 
floors,  as  there  was  no  mills  and  plank  to  make  a  floor. 
A  few  who  had  aspired  to  be  a  little  aristocratic  split 
timber  and  made  puncheon  floors. 


32  Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

' '  The  men  dressed  as  Indians ;  leather  leggins  and 
moccasins  adorned  their  feet  and  legs.  Hats  made  of 
splinters  rolled  in  Buffalo  wool  and  sewed  together 
with  deer  sinews  or  buckskin  whang ;  shirts  of  buck- 
skin and  hunting  shirts  of  the  same ;  some  went  the 
whole  Indian  costume  and  wore  breech-clouts.  The 
females  wore  a  coarse  cloth  made  of  Buffalo  wool, 
underwear  of  dressed  doe  skin,  sun  bonnets,  something 
after  the  fashion  of  men's  hats  and  the  never-failing 
moccasin  for  the  feet  in  winter,  in  summer  time  all 
went  barefooted.  When  they  met  for  preaching  or 
prayer,  the  men  sat  with  their  trusty  rifles  at  their 
sides,  and  as  they  had  to  watch  as  well  as  pray,  a 
faithful  sentinel  keeping  a  lookout  for  the  lurking 
Indian.  But  it  so  happened  that  their  services  were 
never  seriously  interrupted,  except  on  one  occasion. 
One  of  the  watches  came  to  the  door  hole  during  a 
sermon  and  endeavored  by  signs  and  winks  to  apprise 
the  people  that  something  was  wrong — not  being 
exactly  understood,  a  person  within  winked  at  the 
messenger,  as  much  as  to  say,  'Don't  interrupt  us.' 
But  the  case  being  urgent,  the  outside  man  exclaimed, 
'None  of  your  winking  and  blinking — I  tell  you  the 
Indians  are  about.'  That  was  understood,  the  meet- 
ing was  closed,  and  military  defense  organized.  Now, 
gentle  and  fair  reader,  I  beseech  you  not  to  blush  or 
be  ashamed  of  your  forerunners ;  they  were  the  chosen 
of  God  and  nature 's  nobility. ' ' 

Our  present  day  worshipers  who  live  in  their 
splendid  homes  and  worship  in  their  magnificent 
churches  will  read  this  account  of  the  customs  of  our 
forefathers  with  absorbing  interest.  The  following  is 
from  "Haycraft's  History  of  Elizabethtown  and  Its 
Surroundings"  (page  82)  :  ''The  Baptists  were  the 
first  in  order  of  time  in  this  valley.  Their  member- 
ship was  scattered  and  covered  a  great  deal  of  ground. 
For  the  accommodation  of  the  church  the  monthly 
meetings  were  held  alternately  at  the  Valley  and 
Nolin.  These  meetings  were  held  in  open  air  or  a 
private  house  for  many  years.     Old  Nolin   church 


The  First  Churches  Constituted — 1781         33 

was  constituted  in  1803  by  a  mutual  agreement. ' '  This 
explains  why  Nolin  Church  is  some  times  referred  to 
as  the  oldest  church  in  Kentucky.  Benedict  in  hia 
"History  of  the  Baptists,"  published  1848,  on  page 
811,  Chapter  XXII— Kentucky,  says:  "The  church 
called  Nolin  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  first  Prot- 
estant religious  society  organized  in  the  great  West. ' ' 
The  statement  of  Samuel  Haycraft  clears  up  this 
point  in  our  history,  and  shows  that  Benedict  is  in 
error,  and  at  the  same  time  shows  how  the  error 
easily  occurred.  Several  other  historians  followed 
Benedict  in  this  error. 

In  the  minutes  of  the  Green  River  Association,  of 
which  Severn's  Valley  was  now  a  member,  for  the 
year  1802,  meeting  held  at  "Mill  Creek  Meeting 
House,  in  Barren  County,  Kentucky,  on  Saturday 
31st  July  1802,"  has  the  following  item:  "Severns 
Valley  church,  messengers,  Jacob  LaRue,  Christo- 
pher Miller,  Geo.  Helm.  Baptized  125,  reed  by 
letter  12,  dismissed  by  letter  7,  dead  2,  total  member- 
ship 156."  We  call  attention  to  this  item  because  of 
the  large  number  of  members  received  during  the  past 
associational  year.  More  than  half  the  membership 
reported  had  been  received  since  the  1801  session  of 
the  association.  This,  as  will  be  remembered,  was  dur- 
ing the  "Great  Revival  of  1800,"  and  following. 

Another  item  in  that  same  minute  (1802)  says: 
"Letters  from  thirty  churches  were  read.  Twelve  of 
which  had  been  constituted  since  last  association,  were 
received. ' ' 

These  two  items  help  us  to  estimate  the  results  of 
the  revival  of  1800  and  the  years  immediately  follow- 
ing. 

We  have  given  a  somewhat  extended  account  of 
this  church  because  it  was  the  first  church  on  Ken- 
tucky soil. 

Cedar  Creek  Church — July  4,  1781 

We  come  now  to  the  second  church  in  Kentucky, 
and  which,  but  for  patriotic  reasons,  might  have  been 


34         Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

the  FIRST.  This  was  only  a  few  years  after  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  and  while  the  Revolu- 
tionary War  was  still  continuing.  This  explains  why 
those  who  constituted  this  church  waited  for  the 
Fourth  of  July. 

"Cedar  Creek  Church,"  says  Spencer  (Vol.  I, 
page  23),  "was  the  second  organized  in  Kentucky,  It 
was  gathered  by  Joseph  Barnett  who  was  assisted  in 
its  constitution  by  John  Gerrard,  July  4,  1781.  It  is 
located  in  Nelson  county  about  five  miles  southwest 
from  Bardstown.  The  first  pastor  was  Joseph  Bar- 
nett." This  church  is  still  in  existence  and  reports 
200  members. 

The  next  church  on  Kentucky  soil  was  the  Gil- 
bert's Creek  Church  which  was  brought  over  in  a 
body  from  Virginia  and  located  in  Kentucky,  Decem- 
ber, 1781.  Lewis  Craig  was  the  pastor  of  this  church. 
Attracted  by  the  glowing  accounts  which  were  given 
by  returning  explorers  of  the  beautiful  scenery,  the 
unexcelled  productiveness,  and  the  abundance  of  wild 
game  of  the  charming  region  beyond  the  mountains, 
and  revolting  against  the  ecclesiastical  persecution 
and  domination  of  the  State  Church  authorities  of 
Virginia,  the  larger  number  of  the  members  of  this 
church,  having  been,  at  their  own  request,  constituted 
into  an  independent  church,  and  taking  along  with 
them  the  pastor  and  the  old  church  book,  began  their 
long  and  tedious  journey  to  the  "foreign  land."  Car- 
rying their  women,  children,  and  baggage  on  horse- 
back, they  travelled  through  the  wilderness  for  600 
miles.  Famine,  cold,  fatigue,  and  sickness  impeded 
their  journey.  The  wild  beast  and  treacherous  Indian 
made  perilous  their  march.  Winter,  with  its  ice, 
snow,  and  mud,  tested  their  patience  and  tried  their 
strength.  Many  times  during  their  journey,  when  a 
halt  was  called,  did  they  engage  in  religious  services. 
Many  times  did  the  primeval  forest  jof  the  Dark 
and  Bloody  Ground  resound  with  the  hymns  of  Zion ; 
the  vales  which  formerly  had  reverberated  with  the 
scream  of  the  catamount  or  the  war  whoop  of  the 


The  First  Churches  Constituted — 1781  35 

infuriated  savage,  now  for  the  first  time  echoed  with 
the  hallelujahs  of  the  saints.  The  "Great  Spirit," 
whom  the  savages  ignorantly  worshipped  by  means  of 
magic  and  incantations,  was  now  worshipped  "in 
spirit  and  in  truth."  On  the  second  Sunday  in  De- 
cember, 1781,  weary  and  exhausted,  they  arrived  at 
Gilbert's  Creek,  and  there  permanently  located.  The 
church  entered  into  the  organization  of  Elkhorn  Asso- 
ciation in  1785.  Dr.  S.  H.  Ford,  in  the  Christian 
Eepository  of  March,  1856,  (page  137),  says  of  Craig 
and  his  traveling  charge :  ' '  About  the  first  of  Decem- 
ber, they  passed  the  Cumberland  Gap,  ....  and 
on  the  second  Lord's  day  in  December,  1781,  thej- 
had  arrived  in  Lincoln  (now  Garrard  County)  and 
met  as  a  Baptist  Church  of  Christ  at  Gilbert 's  Creek. ' ' 
Then  Dr.  Ford  adds,  "Old  William  Marshall  preached 
to  them,  with  their  pastor,  the  first  Sunday  after  their 
arrival."  John  Taylor,  in  a  biographical  sketch  of 
Lewis  Craig,  savs:  "I  think  he  moved  to  Kentucky 
in  the  fall  of  1781."  Dr.  J.  B.  Taylor,  another  of  his 
biographers,  says :  "It  has  already  been  stated  that 
in  1781,  he  removed  to  the  "West."  Dr.  R.  B.  Semple, 
in  his  history  of  the  Rise  and  Progress  of  the  Baptists 
in  Virginia,  Revised  and  extended  edition  (p.  200), 
says,  in  speaking  of  Craig's  Church,  "formerly  called 
Upper  Spottsylvania"  ....  "in  1781,  to  the  great 
mortification  of  the  remaining  members,  Mr.  Craig, 
with  most  of  the  church,  moved  to  Kentucky. ' '  Then 
in  a  footnote  on  the  same  page,  Dr.  Semple,  after 
naming  their  location  in  Kentucky,  "Gilbert's  Creek, 
Lincoln  (now  Garrard)  County,"  says,  "They  were 
the  third  Baptist  Church  constituted  in  Kentucky, 
and  held  their  first  meeting  on  the  second  Sunday  in 
December. ' '  This  fixes  the  date  of  this  church  in  Ken- 
tucky. This  church  has  long  since  ceased  to  exist  as 
an  organization,  though  out  of  it  came  other  churches. 
Dr.  W.  M.  Pratt  says  in  "Jubilee  Volume"  (page 
40)  :  "In  1781  Lewis  Craig,  and  probably  his  brother 
Joseph,  came  to  Kentucky,  followed,  in  1786,  by 
another  brother,   Elijah,  and  by  his  brother-in-law, 


36         Kentucky  Baptist  Eistory—1770-1922 

Richard  Cave,  a  pioneer  preacher.  These  Craigs  were 
the  sons  of  Toliver  Craig,  of  Orange  County,  Virginia, 
whose  large  family  of  seven  sons  and  four  daughters 
were  members  of  the  church.  The  three  sons  who 
came  to  Kentucky  were  effective  preachers  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  were  a  number  of  times  thrown  in  prison. 
Lewis  Craig,  the  elder  of  the  three,  was  pastor  of  the 
'migrating  church'  of  two  hundred,  of  Upper  Spott- 
sylvania,  and  after  a  long,  fatiguing  pilgrimage,  main- 
taining their  organization  and  worship  on  the  way, 
settled  on  Gilbert  Creek,  Garrard  County,  October, 
(this  should  be  December — Editor)  1781.  Elijah 
Craig  was  first  pastor  of  Big  Crossing,  laid  out  the 
town  of  Georgetown,  established  the  classical  school 
in  that  place,  which  is  now  the  seat  of  Georgetown 
College.  These  two  brothers  were  men  of  strong 
minds  and  of  great  influence  in  molding  the  character 
of  the  infant  churches." 

The  three  churches  above  named  (Severn's  Valley, 
Cedar  Creek  and  Gilbert's  Creek)  were  the  only 
churches  in  Kentucky  in  1781  according  to  history. 
Mr.  Roosevelt  is  evidently  in  error  when  he  says 
("Winning  the  West,"  Vol.  II,  p.  254),  ''Thus  this 
spring  (1780)  "a  third  of  the  congregation  of  a  Low 
Dutch  Reformed  Church  came  to  Kentucky  bodily  to 
the  number  of  fifty  heads  of  families,  with  their 
wives  and  their  children."  He  then  adds,  "The  fol- 
lowing year  a  Baptist  congregation  came  out  from 
Virginia,  keeping  up  its  organization  while  on  the 
road,  the  preacher  holding  services  at  every  long 
halt."  There  is  plenty  of  evidence  that  the  Baptist 
church  came  to  Kentucky  that  year  (1781)  but  no  evi- 
dence that  a  "Low  Dutch  Reformed  Church"  was 
established  in  Kentucky  in  1780.  In  fact,  Filson  after 
saying  "The  Anabaptists  were  the  first  that  promoted 
public  worship  in  Kentucky, ' '  says  the  only  other  sect 
at  this  time  maintaining  worship  in  Kentucky  is  the 
Presbyterians  with  four  congregations.  He  says  "at 
present  there  are  no  other  religious  societies  formed, 
although  several  other  sects  have  numerous  adher- 


The  First  Churches  ConsUtutedr—1781         37 

ents"  (301).  So  Filson  in  1784  knew  nothing  of  a 
"Low  Dutch  Reformed  Church"  in  Kentucky,  neither 
do  other  Kentucky  historians.  True  Mr.  Roosevelt 
does  not  say  this  church  established  itself  in  Ken- 
tucky as  a  church,  but  that  is  the  inference.  Dr.  J. 
M.  Cramp  in  his  Baptist  History  in  speaking  of  Ken- 
tucky Baptists  says:  ''In  1781  the  first  church  was 
organized  at  Nolin,  (This  is  the  Severn's  Valley 
Church — Editor).  That  church  is  supposed  to  have 
been  the  first  Protestant  religious  society  organized  in 
the  Great  West."  The  above  is  practically  the  state- 
ment of  all  the  historians. 

In  the  year  1790  there  were  in  Kentucky  forty- 
two  churches,  forty  ordained  ministers,  twenty-one 
licensed  preachers  and  3,105  members.  The  list  of 
early  churches  here  given  is  by  Dr.  W.  M.  Pratt  in 
Jubilee  Volume  (page  38)  : 

"In  1782,  Forks  of  Dix  River  was  founded  by 
Lewis  Craig.  In  1783,  South  Elkhorn,  Fayette 
County,  was  founded  by  the  removal  of  Lewis  Craig, 
and  a  large  portion  of  his  church  at  Gilbert's  Creek 
to  this  place,  the  first  church  north  of  Kentucky 
River. 

"In  1784,  Bear  Grass  Church,  Jefferson  County, 
six  miles  east  of  Louisville,  was  constituted  by  John 
Whitaker,  and  Howard  Creek  (now  Providence), 
Clark  County,  by  Elder  Robert  Elkin.  (This  church 
really  came  over  from  Virginia  in  a  body  as  a  con- 
stituted church,  as  the  old  records  show,  and  has  a 
continuous  history  from  its  constitution  in  Virginia. 
Thus,  it  is  the  oldest  church  constitution  on  Kentucky 
soil,  but  not  the  first  in  Kentucky. — Nowlin.). 

"In  1785,  twelve  churches  were  founded,  viz.: 
Limestone  (now  Washington),  Mason  County,  by  El- 
der William  Wood;  Clear  Creek,  Woodford  County, 
by  Elder  John  Taylor;  Pottenger  Creek,  Nelson 
County,  by  Benjamin  Lynn;  Cox  Creek,  Nelson 
County,  by  William  Taylor;  Brachears  (Clear 
Creek),  Shelby  County,  by  Elder  William  Taylor  and 
John  AVhitaker;    Rush  Branch,  Lincoln  County,  by 


38         Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1923 

Elder  John  Bailey;  Head  of  Boone  Creek,  by  Elder 
Joseph  Craig;  Big  Crossing,  Scott  County,  by  Elder 
Elisha  Craig ;  Tates  Creek,  Madison  County,  by  Elder 
John  Tanner;  Town  Fork  (Lexington),  by  Elder 
John  Gano ;  Bryant  Station,  Fayette  County,  by 
Elder  Lewis  Craig;  Boone  Creek  (Athens),  by  Elder 
David  Thompson. 

"In  1786,  Tate's  Creek,  Madison  County,  by  Elder 
Andrew  Tribble. 

"In  1787,  Marble  Creek  (East  Hickman),  Fayette 
County,  by  Elders  William  Hickman  and  John  Price; 
Cooper's  Run,  Bourbon  County,  by  Elder  Augustine 
Eastin;  New  Providence,  Lincoln  County,  by  Elder 
William  Marshall;  South  Fork,  Nelson  County,  by 
Elder  James  S.  Skaggs. 

"In  1788,  Huston  Creek,  Bourbon  County,  by 
Elder  Moses  Bledsoe;  Forks  of  Elkhorn,  Franklin 
County,  by  Elder  William  Hickman;  Rolling  Fork, 
Nelson  County,  by  Elder  John  Carman;  Buck  Run, 
Franklin  County,  by  Elders  John  and  James  Dupuy; 
Shawnee  Run,  Mercer  County,  by  Elder  John  Rice. 

"In  1789,  Hardin  Creek,  Nelson  County,  by  Elder 
Baldwin  Clifton;  May's  Lick,  Mason  County,  by  El- 
ders Wood  and  Garrard. 

"In  1790,  Indian  Creek,  Harrison  County,  by  El- 
der A.  Eastin ;  Unity,  Clark  County ;  Hickman  Creek 
and  Hardin  Creek,  Mercer  County;  Mount  Pleasant, 
Franklin  County,  and  West  Fork,  Cox  Creek,  Nelson 
County,  White  Oak,  Nelson  County. 

"1791,  Stony  Point,  Mercer  County,  Strode 's 
Fork,  Fayette  County,  Taylor's  Fork,  Green  Creek, 
Bourbon,  Bloomfield,  Nelson  County;  Crab  Orchard, 
Lincoln  County;  Pitman's  Creek  and  Brush  Creek, 
Green  County." 

A  number  of  other  churches  constituted  within 
this  period  are  not  named,   as  they  had  been   dis- 
banded. 
Some  Early  Customs  in  Kentucky  Baptist  Churches 

Dr.  Spencer  says  (Vol.  I,  p.  485) :  "Ruling  Elders 
were  nominal  officers  in  many  of  our  early  churches. 


The  First  Churches  Constituted — 1781         39 

The  name  can  only  be  appropriate  when  applied  to 
the  officer  it  designates,  in  a  church  having  a  Presby- 
terian form  of  government.  In  a  Baptist  church,  the 
term  is  a  misnomer. ' '    This  custom  soon  passed  away. 

The  practice  of  the  laying  on  of  hands  was  com- 
mon. John  Taylor  in  his  "History  of  Ten  Churches," 
says  (page  10)  :  "The  rite  of  laying  on  of  hands,  on 
the  newly  baptized,  was  practised  by  the  Baptists  in 
those  days;  this  practice  was  performed  as  follows: 
Those  upwards  of  fifty,  stood  up  in  one  solemn  line, 
on  the  bank  of  the  river,  taking  up  about  as  many 
yards  as  there  were  individuals — the  males  first  in 
line,  about  four  ministers  went  together,  each  one  laid 
his  right  hand  on  the  head  of  the  dedicated  person, 
and  one  prayed  for  him,  and  after  praying  for  three 
or  four  of  them,  another  proceeded  till  they  went 
through.  It  would  appear  as  if  that  solemn  dedica- 
tion might  be  some  barrier  to  future  apostasy ;  for 
the  prayers  were  with  great  solemnity  and  fervor, 
and  for  that  particular  person  according  to  their  age 
and  circumstances." 

Dr.  Spencer  says  (Vol.  I,  page  486)  :  "Laying  on 
of  hands  was  a  ceremony  in  common  use  among  the 
early  Baptists  of  Virginia  and  Kentucky,  as  well  as 
some  other  regions."  He  adds,  however,  "The  cere- 
mony has  long  since  been  discontinued  among  the 
churches  in  Kentucky." 

The  washing  of  feet  seems  to  have  been  a  very 
common  ceremony  among  some  of  the  early  churches 
of  Kentucky.  "Among  the  Regular  Baptists,  it  was 
practiced  partially  a  few  years,  and  then  went  en- 
tirely out  of  use,"  says  Spencer.    (Vol.  I,  p.  486). 

None  of  these  ''early  customs"  are  now  in  use 
among  the  Baptists  of  Kentucky,  so  far  as  the  author 
knows. 

We  give  two  old  subscription  lists  here  of  some 
interest.  The  first  is  for  pastor's  salary  in  South 
Elkhom  Church,  and  has  on  it  thirty-six  gallons  of 
whiskey.  The  other  is  a  facsimile  of  a  subscription 
found  in  minutes  of  the  Robinson  &  Pitman  Church — 


o 
o 


^ 


o 
o 


O      O) 

5:^  M 


.S    eM     "t^ 


52  00 

cd    o 

be 
o 


CO 


rCj 


^ 


S    pi 

"is  ^o 


fl      O 

.2  02 


•S  ^ 


o 


tf) 


<u 

-I 

■^J 

pq 

'^ 

tn 

C 

w 

)-i 

^ 

o 

pq 

c/) 


'3 1^  -^  /%^.<-t 


L<  <ie,£-C 


k/at^rr7fi^    v^O-e^t    ^'rt^J^a^<^ 


a. 


•^     /^  ©  -!»  ^/V 


'  oA  »J  a>k 


42         Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

now  Campbellsville  Church — and  containing  eight 
gallons  of  whiskey. 

In  contrast  with  the  above  subscription  lists  we 
give  the  following  which  was  adopted  by  the  South 
Kentucky  Association  No.  3  at  its  organization  in 
1845.  Says  Spencer  (Vol.  II,  580):  "No  church 
shall  be  considered  in  good  standing  in  this  union, 
that  will  encourage,  by  laxity  of  discipline,  or  other- 
wise, the  making  and  vending  of  ardent  spirits  as  a 
beverage,  etc." 

This  shows  the  change  of  sentiment  on  the  whiskey 
trafSc  in  forty-seven  years  among  the  Qoxly  Kentucky 
Baptists.  And  as  compared  with  the  present,  it  strik- 
ingly illustrates  the  great  progress  made  in  temper- 
ance reform  in  these  124  years. 

What  was  true  of  the  early  Baptist  churches  in 
this  country  was  true  of  churches  of  other  denomina- 
tions touching  the  whiskey  traffic.  Baptists  were  no 
worse  and  no  better  in  this  particular  than  those  of 
other  religious  bodies  of  that  time. 


CHAPTER  IV 

The  First  Associations  Constituted — 1785 

It  is  customary  with  Baptists  when  they  have  a 
few  churches  close  enough  together  for  organization 
to  form  them  into  associations,  and  the  early  Baptists 
of  Kentucky  were  no  exception  to  this  rule.  Within 
four  years  and  four  months  from  the  time  the  first 
church  is  constituted  in  Kentucky  we  find  two  asso- 
ciations constituted.  The  first  of  these  was  the  Elk- 
horn  which  was  constituted  October  1,  1785,  and  the 
second  was  the  Salem,  constituted  October  29,  1785. 

The  Elkhorn  Association 

Spencer  says:  "At  the  close  of  the  year  1785 
there  had  been  constituted  in  Kentucky  eighteen 
churches."  He  also  says  "The  year  1785  was  one  of 
great  interest,  and  much  activity  among  the  Baptists 
of  Kentucky.  Hitherto  each  little  church  had  stood 
isolated  from  its  sisters.  No  organization  existed 
through  which  the  churches  could  work  together  in 
harmony,"  John  Taylor  in  his  "History  of  Ten 
Churches"  (page  55)  gives  an  account  of  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Elkhorn  Association,  After  speaking  of 
the  churches  needing  the  aid  of  one  another,  he  says: 
"We  soon  began  to  contemplate  an  association  for 
that  purpose  and  partly  to  bring  about  a  union  with 
the  South  Kentucky  Baptists.  We  held  a  conference 
at  South  Elkhorn,  in  June,  1785,  but  failed  in  the 
union  with  the  South  Kentucky  Baptists ;  we  agreed 
to  meet  as  an  association  at  Clear  Creek  October  1, 
1785.  Six  churches  it  seems  met,  one  of  them  was 
from  Tates  Creek,  south  side  of  Kentucky,  there  and 
then,  Elkhorn  Association  was  formed."  They  met 
and  had  preaching  at  3  P,  M.,  September  30th  and 
' '  the  day  following  their  coming  together  the  messen- 

43 


44         Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

gers  adopted  the  following  constitution,"  says  Spen- 
cer, so  formed  their  organization  on  the  first  day  of 
October,  as  John  Taylor  says. 

The  Elkhorn  Association  was  constituted  of  six 
churches,  viz.:  "Gilbert's  Creek,  Tate's  Creek,  South 
Elkhorn,  Clear  Creek,  Big  Crossing,  and  Limestone. 
The  ministers  representing  these  churches  were  El- 
ders George  Stokes  Smith,  John  Price,  John  Tanner, 
Lewis  Craig,  William  Hickman,  John  Taylor,  James 
Rucker,  John  Dupuy,  and  William  Wood.  This  body 
was  enlarged  nearly  every  year  until  it  comprised 
thirty-eight  churches  extending  from  Columbia 
Church  near  the  mouth  of  Little  Miami,  Ohio,  to  Cum- 
berland, Tennessee. ' '  As  this  is  the  oldest  association 
in  the  State  we  give  a  somewhat  extended  account  of 
137  years  of  her  glorious  history. 

Large  use  is  made  at  this  point  of  Dr.  W.  M.  Lee 's 
"History  of  Elkhorn  Association,"  presented  as  his 
thesis  for  the  doctor's  degree  at  the  theological  semi- 
nary, Louisville. 

The  Elkhorn  Association  of  Baptists,  the  first 
association  of  Baptist  churches  west  of  the  Alleghany 
Mountains,  is  at  present  composed  of  twenty-nine 
churches,  and  is  located  in  east  central  Kentucky,  cov- 
ering what  is  known  as  the  strictly  Blue  Grass  sec- 
tion of  the  state.  It  includes  all  the  Missionary 
Churches  in  Fayette,  Woodford  and  Scott  Counties, 
and  some  of  those  located  in  Bourbon,  Grant,  Frank- 
lin and  Jessamine.  It  is  bounded  on  the  south  and 
west  by  the  Kentucky  River,  which  with  its  pictur- 
esque canons  furnishes  perhaps  the  most  beautiful 
and  magnificent  scenery  to  be  found  in  Kentucky,  and 
on  the  east  by  the  south  branch  of  Licking  River,  the 
divisive  line  between  it  and  Union  Association,  which 
was  organized  out  of  Elkhorn  in  1813. 

The  original  territory  of  Elkhorn  Association  was 
not  so  delimited  and  circumscribed.  At  one  time  dur- 
ing its  history  (1792-1796)  it  included  churches  as 
far  north  as  "Columbia  in  the  Western  Territory," 
now  Ohio,  and  as  far  south  as  Tennessee  County, 


The  First  Associations  Constituted — 1785      45 

Cumberland  Settlement."  At  this  time  it  covered 
perhaps  15,000  square  miles.  During  the  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  years  of  its  existence,  the  association 
has  included,  at  different  times,  one  hundred  and  sev- 
enteen churches.  The  larger  number  of  these 
churches  have  been  dismissed  from  time  to  time  to 
form  sister  associations  in  correspondence  with  Elk- 
horn  ;  some  have  been  excluded  on  account  of  heresy ; 
whereas  some  have  withdrawn  on  account  of  dissatis- 
faction with  associational  discipline.  The  ranks  of 
the  following  Baptist  Associations  have  been  strength- 
ened by  churches  dismissed  from  Elkhorn,  viz. :  North 
District,  Licking,  Bracken,  Union,  Franklin,  Green 
Kiver,  Tate's  Creek,  and  North  Bend.  In  addition  to 
the  above  named  sources  of  depletion,  may  be  added 
the  fact  that  during  the  war  the  churches  composed 
of  colored  members  withdrew  to  form  associations  of 
their  own. 

In  1827,  James  Fishback,  pastor  of  Lexington 
Church,  created  a  division  in  his  church  by  trying  to 
change  the  name  of  it  to  the  '  *  Church  of  Christ. ' '  He 
led  off  a  minority  of  thirty-eight  members  and  became 
their  pastor.  Rev.  R.  T.  Dillard  subsequently  suc- 
ceeded in  uniting  the  two  factions.  H.  Davidge,  of 
the  Big  Spring  (Versailles)  Church,  created  some 
stir  by  a  pamphlet  of  the  ''Reforming"  type,  which 
he  circulated.  Campbell  and  his  coadjutors  won  many 
of  the  best  Baptist  preachers  and  laymen  over  to  the 
Reformation,  prominent  among  them  being  Jacob 
Creath,  his  son,  Jacob,  Jr.,  William  Morton  and  Jere- 
miah Vardeman.  Many  of  the  churches  of  the  asso- 
ciation contained  members  of  strong  Campbellite  sen- 
timent. Versailles,  Providence,  and  South  Elkliorn 
Churches  were  excluded  from  the  association  in  1830 
and  1831  because  of  their  Reformed  ideas.  Minorities 
were  carried  off  from  many  of  the  churches.  In  one 
year  (1830-1831)  the  membership  of  the  association 
dropped  from  4,321  to  3,201.  The  association  entered 
this  period  with  48  churches  and  5,291  members;  it 
ends  the  period  with  25  churches  and  4,321  members. 


46  Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

During  the  period  it  has  lost  35  churches  by  dismiis- 
sion  and  expulsion;  and  has  had  twelve  added  to  its 
membership.  During  the  first  year  of  the  next  period 
the  membership  will  drop  from  4,321  to  3,201.  Yet 
the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  growing  all  the  while,  we 
hope. 

Most  of  the  doctrinal  controversy  of  the  period 
was  instigated  by  the  Reformers.  Worship  was  fre- 
quently disturbed  by  questioners  and  mockers,  who 
would  either  arise  and  interrupt  the  speaker  or  else 
laugh  out  in  meeting  in  scorn  and  derision.  Large 
audiences  gathered  to  hear  debates  on  baptism, 
creeds,  or  missionary  societies.  The  prevalence  of 
doctrinal  controversy  fostered  doubt  and  infidelity  and 
worldliness  among  the  unconverted.  The  churches 
allowed  heresy  and  disregard  to  church  fealty  to  go 
undisciplined. 

An  age  of  doctrinal  polemics  call  for  well  equipped 
defenders  of  the  faith.  The  great  need  of  the  Bap- 
tists was  an  educated  ministry.  Many  of  their 
most  vigorous  and  aggressive  ministers  had  gone  over 
to  the  Reformers.  A  number  of  the  enterprising  min- 
isters and  laymen  of  the  Baptist  persuasion  petitioned 
the  state  legislature,  in  January,  1829,  for  a  charter 
incorporating  a  board  of  trustees  called  ''The  Ken- 
tucky Baptist  Educational  Society."  This  charter 
was  granted.  The  society  had  in  view  the  establish- 
ment of  a  college  under  the  control  of  Kentucky 
Baptists.  Both  Versailles  and  Georgetown  entered 
into  competition  to  secure  the  location  of  the  col- 
lege. Georgetown  won  the  prize  by  the  gift  of  $6,000 
and  a  lot  of  land.  This,  together  with  a  gift  of  $20,- 
000,  donated  by  Isachar  Paulding,  constituted  the 
property  of  the  institution  for  the  first  ten  years  of 
its  existence. 

This  period  extends  from  the  year  of  the  Campbel- 
lite  schism  to  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  "War.  Political 
affairs  affect  the  association  scarcely  any  at  all,  until 
near  the  end  of  the  period,  when  much  confusion  pre- 
vailed on  account  of  the  gloomy  forebodings  of  war. 


The  First  Associations  Constituted — 1785      47 

The  first  year  of  this  period  witnessed  the  with- 
drawal of  about  1,100  members  from  the  churches; 
they  followed  the  leaders  of  the  current  Reformation. 
In  1831  the  association  had  only  3,201  members;  in 
1861,  at  the  end  of  the  period,  her  members  num- 
bered 7,760.  This  period  is,  therefore,  a  period  of 
revivals  and  growth.  It  witnessed  a  growth  of  over 
125  per  cent.  The  first  period  of  revivals  was  during 
the  years  1837-1843,  when  3,285  members  were  added 
to  the  churches.  It  was  at  this  time  that  religious 
services  were  first  protracted  to  the  length  of  a  week 
or  more,  in  Kentucky.  During  the  first  four  years  of 
this  revival  period.  Licking  Association,  which 
opposed  the  lengthy  protraction  of  services,  added  to 
her  membership  only  106  members ;  during  the  same 
time  Elkhorn  witnessed  the  addition  of  1,504  mem- 
bers to  her  churches.  Elkhorn 's  nest  revival  period 
came  in  1855-1861,  during  which  time  3,144  members 
were  added  to  the  churches  by  baptism. 

Perhaps  the  principal  cause  of  the  recurrent  revi- 
vals was  the  ardent  missionary  spirit  which  prevailed. 
The  missionary  activity  of  the  period  eclipses  that  of 
any  former  period.  All  varieties  of  missions  received 
cordial  and  hearty  support — foreign,  domestic,  and 
Indian.  Especially  was  this  true  of  the  latter  half 
of  the  period.  During  the  earlier  half,  there  was  con- 
siderable opposition  to  all  benevolent  enterprises  and 
societies.  Daniel  Parker,  John  Taylor,  and  Alexan- 
der Campbell  had  sown  the  seeds  of  opposition  to 
organized  effort  that  bore  corrupt  fruit  for  many 
years.  And  the  end  its  not  yet.  The  progressive 
leaders  and  missionary  organizers  of  the  sect  of  the 
Disciples,  which  is  rapidly  crystallizing  into  a  denom- 
ination, have  considerable  difficulty  in  eradicating  the 
tares  of  the  anti-organization  spirit  from  the  minds 
of  the  less  cultured,  and  consequently  more  polemical, 
element  of  their  body.  The  tares  sown  by  Campbell 
have  proven  to  be  as  hardy  as  the  wheat  he  sowed. 

Beginning  with  the  revival  of  1855-1861  a  greater 
interest  was  taken  in  missions.     Contributions  grew 


48  Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

much  larger.  The  larger  contributions  are  due  also, 
to  a  considerable  extent,  to  the  improved  method  of 
securing  them.  Before  1855  efforts  at  raising  mission 
money  were  delayed  until  the  association  met,  and 
collections  were  then  taken.  But  beginning  with  the 
year  1855,  a  plan  of  benevolent  effort  was  adopted, 
which  yielded  far  better  results.  In  1840  and  1841, 
respectively,  $137  and  $58.62  were  raised  by  the  old 
plan  for  domestic  missions.  In  1859  and  1860, 
respectively,  $1,223  and  $1,438  were  raised  for  the 
same  object,  by  the  new  plan.  The  association  had 
urged  the  churches  as  early  as  1848  to  adopt  this  new 
plan  of  systematic  benevolence,  but  they  had  delayed 
in  the  matter. 

The  General  Association  was  organized  in  Louis- 
ville, October  20,  1837.  In  1844,  Elkhorn  Association 
entered  into  full  co-operation  with  it  in  all  its  plans. 
This  was  a  great  step  forward,  and  was  not  accom- 
plished without  opposition.  The  dormant  energies  of 
Elkhorn  Association  were  roused  by  her  connection 
with  the  General  Association.  In  1840,  Elkhorn  rec- 
ommended that  her  churches  support  Sunday  Schools 
in  their  respective  congregations.  By  1845,  only 
three  churches  had  Sunday  Schools.  These  were 
Mount  Vernon,  Lexington,  and  Georgetown  churches. 
By  the  end  of  the  period,  however,  there  were  thir- 
teen Sunday  Schools  and  twenty  weekly  prayer- 
meetings  operative  in  the  association. 

Elkhorn  Association  is  now  passing  through  the 
one  hundred  and  thirty-seventh  year  of  its  existence. 
It  was  born  in  the  wild  and  romantic  days  of  early 
Kentucky  pioneer  life,  its  birth  being  preceded  only 
a  few  years  by  the  birth  of  the  American  Republic. 
It  counts  many  associations  among  its  children  and 
grandchildren.  The  association  has  today  the  largest 
number  of  white  members  that  it  has  had  at  any 
time  during  its  history.  And  it  bids  fair,  in  the  good 
providence  and  grace  of  God,  to  do,  in  the  years  to 
come,  a  great  and  glorious  work,  for  the  advancement 
in  the  earth  of  the  Kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Savior, 


The  First  Associations  Constituted — 1785      49 

Jesus  Christ.     Elkhorn  at  this  time  reports  thirty- 
three  churches,  10,837  members. 

The    Salem  Association 

The  churches  which  formed  the  Salem  Association 
were  separated  from  those  that  went  into  the  consti- 
tution of  tlie  Elkhorn  by  a  vast  wilderness  still 
infested  by  wild  Indians,  and  communication  was 
difficult  and  infrequent  at  the  time  of  which  we  write. 
Under  such  circumstances  we  are  not  surprised  that 
the  churches  of  the  more  westerly  settlement  were 
ignorant  of  what  those  on  the  Elkhorn  were  doing. 
But  they,  as  their  brethren  on  the  Elkhorn,  felt  the 
need  of  an  association  in  which  they  could  meet  at 
least  once  a  year  and  devise  ways  and  means  for 
promoting  the  work  of  the  kingdom.  So  according  to 
Spencer's  History  (Vol.  I,  page  109  f)  *'0n  Satur- 
day, October  29,  1785,  four  Regular  Baptist  Churches 
met,  by  their  messengers,  on  Cox's  Creek,  Nelson 
County,  Kentucky,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  an 
association.  A  sermon  suitable  for  this  occasion  was 
preached  by  Joseph  Barnett,  from  John  2  :17. 

"Joseph  Barnett  was  chosen  moderator,  and  An- 
drew Paul,  clerk. 

''Letters  from  four  churches  were  read  and  the 
following  facts  recorded: 

"Severn's  Valley,  constituted  June  18,  1781.  Mem- 
bers 37,     No  pastor. 

''Cedar  Creek,  constituted  July  4,  1781.  Members 
41.     Joseph  Barnett,  pastor. 

"Bear  Grass,  constituted  January,  1784.  Members 
19.     John  Whitaker,  pastor. 

"Cox's  Creek,  constituted  April,  1785.  Members 
26.     William  Taylor,  pastor. 

"This  was  the  second  Regular  Baptist  Association 
organized  west  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains.  It  was 
constituted  only  twenty-nine  days  later  than  Elkhorn 
Association,  and  evidently  had  not  heard  of  the  exis- 
tence of  the  latter  organization.  For,  after  adopting 
the    'Philadelphia    Confession    of    Faith,    and    the 

4 


50  Kentucky  Baptist  Histonj~1770-1922 

treatise  of  Discipline  thereto  annexed,'  they  proposed 
correspondence  with  the  Philadelphia,  Ketocton  and 
Monongahela  Associations,  without  mentioning  Elk- 
horn. 

* '  The  fraternity  thus  formed  assumed  the  name  of 
Salem  Association  of  Regular  Baptists,  and  comprised 
all  the  Regular  Baptist  Churches  in  Kentucky,  west 
of  Frankfort,  the  church  on  Brashears  Creek  having 
been  dispersed  by  the  Indians.  It  had  but  three 
preachers  within  the  bounds  of  its  immense  territory, 
and  it  received  but  f ew^  accessions  to  its  ministry,  till 
it  raised  them  up  in  its  own  churches.  This  body  was 
very  small  at  the  beginning,  and  its  growth  was  very 
slow  till  the  great  revival  of  1800-3,  when  it  received 
very  large  accessions,  and  has  since  maintained  a 
prominent  position  among  the  associations  of  the 
state." 

The  South  Kentucky 

The  South  Kentucky  Association  is  the  third  asso- 
ciation formed,  and  Doctor  Spencer  fixes  the  date  as 
May,  1788.  Aspland  says  this  association  was  consti- 
tuted "about  1785."  Other  historians  have  followed 
Asplund  and  said  it  was  ' '  constituted  1785, ' '  but  the 
old  records  fix  the  date  as  1788.  The  churches  com- 
posing this  association  were  Separate  Baptist  churches 
(Vol.  II,  p.  81).  "In  the  minutes  of  the  proceedings 
of  South  Kentucky  Association,  at  its  annual  meet- 
ing in  1791,  the  following  item  is  recorded: 

"  'The  association  agrees  to  abide  by  the  plan 
upon  which  the  churches  of  our  union  were  consti- 
tuted (an  association),  in  October,  1787,  and  May, 
1788.' 

"That  is,  after  the  example  of  Elkhorn,  they  held 
a  preliminary  meeting  in  October,  1787,  and  met  again 
the  following  May  to  complete  the  organization.  The 
constitution  of  this  ancient  fraternity,  therefore, 
properly  dates  from  May,  1788. 

"The  preliminary  meeting  convened  at  Tates  Creek 
meeting  house,  in  Madison  County,  the  first  Friday 


The  First  Associations  Constituted — 1785      51 

in  October,  1787.  Eleven  churches  were  represented." 
In  speaking  of  the  "Regular"  and  "Separate"  Bap- 
tists Doctor  Spencer  says,  "it  was  a  distinction  with- 
out a  difference."  This  distinction,  however,  soon 
passed  away  as  the  two  branches  formed  a  union  and 
called  themselves  the  "United  Baptists."  This  asso- 
ciation held  its  last  meeting  in  August,  1801.  This 
was  the  meeting  at  which  the  "terms  of  general 
union"  were  ratified  by  this  body. 

Tates  Creek  Association 

The  fourth  association  formed  was  the  Tates 
Creek,  and  according  to  Spencer  (Vol.  I,  p.  277) 
was  as  follows  : 

"In  1793  a  third  effort  was  made  to  form  a  union 
between  the  Regular  and  Separate  Baptists.  At  the 
meeting  of  Elkhorn  Association,  in  May  of  that  year, 
it  was  agreed  that  Ambrose  Dudley,  James  Garrard, 
John  Taylor,  John  Price  and  Augustine  Eastin  be 
appointed  to  visit  the  South  Kentucky  Association  to 
confer  with  them  on  the  subject  of  a  union  between 
the  two  bodies.  Arrangements  were  made  to  have 
the  churches  of  both  associations  to  send  messengers 
to  a  meeting  to  be  held  at  Marble  Creek,  in  Fayette 
County,  in  July.  The  meeting  was  accordingly  held. 
A  large  majority  of  the  messengers  agreed  on  terms 
of  union.  But  some  of  the  Separates  opposed  the 
measure  in  such  a  manner  as  to  defeat  it.  This  so 
displeased  some  of  the  churches  of  South  Kentucky 
Association  that  they  at  once  declared  nonfellow  for 
that  body. 

"On  the  23d  of  the  following  November  four 
churches  met,  by  their  messengers,  and  formed  them- 
selves into  an  association  under  the  style  of  'Tates 
Creek  Association  of  United  Baptists.'  This  was  the 
fourth  association  formed  in  Kentucky,  and  the  first 
that  styled  itself  United  Baptists.  This  was  done  in 
imitation  of  the  Baptists  of  Virginia,  who  had  happily 
united  and  assumed  this  title  six  years  before. 

"Tates  Creek  Association  did  not,  at  first,  adopt 


52         Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

any  confession  of  faith,  but  in  general  terms  agreed 
to  that  adopted  by  Elkhorn  and  Salem.  This  gave 
some  trouble,  for,  although  Elkhorn  entered  into  cor- 
respondence with  the  new  fraternity  immediately,  it 
caused  such  uneasiness  among  some  of  the  churches 
that  she  was  compelled  to  withdraw  her  correspon- 
dence the  next  year.  But  in  1797  the  correspondence 
was  resumed,  and  has  continued  to  the  present  time." 
Tates  Creek  is  still  a  live  and  vigorous  association. 

Bracken  Association 

The  first  association  constituted  in  Kentucky, 
according  to  Spencer  (Vol.  II,  p.  96),  was  the 
Bracken,  which  was  the  eldest  daughter  of  Elkhorn. 
"According  to  an  arrangement  made  by  Elkhorn 
Association,  messengers  from  eight  churches  met  at 
Bracken  meeting  house,  near  the  present  site  of 
Minerva,  in  Mason  County,  on  Saturday,  May  28, 
1799.  A  sermon  was  preached  by  the  venerable  David 
Thomas.  James  Turner  was  chosen  Moderator,  and 
Donald  Homes  Clerk.  After  proper  consideration, 
Bracken  Association  was  constituted  in  due  form. 
Five  of  the  churches,  viz. :  Washington,  Mayslick, 
Bracken  (now  Minerva),  Stone  Lick  and  Locust 
Creek,  had  been  dismissed  from  Elkhorn  Association. 
The  ministers  of  the  new  fraternity  were  Lewis  Craig, 
David  Thomas,  Donald  Holmes  and  Philip  Drake. 
William  Wood,  the  first  preacher  who  had  settled 
within  the  present  bounds  of  Bracken  Association, 
had  been  excluded  from  Washington  Church  the  year 
before  the  association  was  constituted.  The  venerable 
and  illustrious  Lewis  Craig  was  regarded  the  father 
of  this  association. 

"This  fraternity  was  small  at  first.  At  its  meet- 
ing in  the  fall  of  1799  it  reported  9  churches  with 
600  members.  It  did  not  share  so  largely  in  the  fruits 
of  the  "Great  Revival,"  as  did  the  other  associations 
in  the  state.  For,  while  the  churches  of  Elkhorn  re- 
ported, in  1801,  3,011  baptisms,  and  those  of  Tates 
Creek,   1,148,  those  of  Bracken  reported  only  139. 


The  First  Associations  Constituted — 1785      53 

The  body,  however,  enjoyed  a  steady,  healthful  growth 
till  1805,  when  it  numbered  19  church  with  1,865 
members."  This  association  reports  now  28  churches 
and  2,442  members. 

Green  River  Association 

The  sixth  association  formed  in  Kentucky  was 
known  as  the  Green  River  (Spencer,  Vol.  II,  p.  105). 
' '  In  1799  there  were  about  eight  churches  in  what  was 
known  as  the  Green  River  country.  In  June  of  that 
year  a  conference  was  held  at  Sinking  Creek  meeting 
house,  in  Barren  Comity,  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
sidering the  propriety  of  forming  an  association.  The 
conclusion  of  the  meeting  was,  that  it  was  expedient 
for  the  churches  to  associate.  An  appointment  was 
made  for  a  meeting  at  the  Sinks  of  Beaver  Creek, 
to  convene  on  the  third  Saturday  in  the  following 
October,  to  carry  into  effect  the  sense  of  the  present 
conference.  The  time  and  place  of  meeting  were 
afterwards  changed.  Accordingly,  messengers  from 
several  churches  met  at  Mount  Tabor  meeting-house  in 
Barren  County,  on  the  third  Saturday  in  June,  1800, 
and  Green  River  Association  of  nine  Regular  Baptist 
churches  was  constituted  in  due  form. 

"A  list  of  these  churches  is  not  now  accessible; 
but  those  known  to  have  been  in  existence  at  that 
time,  within  the  territory  occupied  by  the  new  fra- 
ternity, were  Concord,  Mud  Camp  (now  Blue  Spring), 
Mount  Tabor,  and  Sinking  Creek,  in  Barren  County ; 
Brush  Creek  (and  probably  Pitman's  Creek),  in 
Green  County;  Sinks  of  Beaver  Creek  (now  Drip- 
ping Springs,  in  Metcalf  County)  ;  Mill  Creek,  in 
what  is  now  Monroe  County,  and  Severn's  Valley, 
in  Hardin  County.  The  last  named  had  broken  off 
from  Salem  Association,  some  years  before,  on  ac- 
count of  that  body  tolerating  slavery;  hence  its  con- 
nection with  Green  River  Association.  It  returned 
to  Salem  Association  in  1803." 

Spencer's  account  of  Green  River  Association 
shows  that  he  did  not  have  the  minutes  until  the  ses- 


54         Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

sion  of  1802,  when  lie  gives  facts  and  figures  accord- 
ing to  the  minutes,  but  the  author,  by  the  kindness 
of  Hon.  H.  S.  Robinson,  Campbellsville,  Kentucky, 
has  before  him  the  minutes  for  Green  River  Associa- 
tion for  the  years  1800,  1801,  1802,  1803  and  1804. 
These  sessions  are  not  numbered,  but  1800  seems  to 
be  the  first  session.  Doctor  Spencer  may  be  right 
when  he  says,  "Accordingly,  messengers  from  several 
churches  met  at  Mount  Tabor  meeting-house,  in  Bar- 
ren County,  on  the  third  Saturday  in  June,  1800 ;  and 
Green  River  Association  of  nine  Regular  Baptist 
churches  was  constituted  in  due  form, ' '  but  if  so  this 
must  have  been  only  a  preliminary  meeting,  for  the 
old  minute  of  that  year  reads  as  follows : 
"Minutes  of  the  Green  River  Association  of  Baptists. 
"Held  at  Trammel's  Creek  Meeting-house,  in 
Green  County,  on  Saturday,  November  1,  1800,  and 
continued  by  adjournment  until  Monday  the  3rd. 
Saturday,  November  1, 1800.  At  12  o  'clock  Elder  Car- 
ter Tarrant  delivered  the  introductory  sermon  from 
Psalms  55-14.  We  took  sweet  counsel  together,  and 
walked  unto  the  house  of  God  in  company.  After 
the  sermon  business  was  opened  with  prayer,  when 
Elder  Robert  Stockston  was  chosen  moderator,  and 
John  Chandler  clerk.  Letters  from  nine  churches 
were  read,  their  messengers'  names  enrolled,  and  a 
list  of  their  numbers  taken,  which  are  as  follows : ' ' 
Here  is  given  the  list  of  the  churches,  the  names  of 
the  messengers  and  the  number  of  members  in  each 
church.  The  churches  named  are :  Beaver  Creek, 
Brush  Creek,  Pitman's  and  Robinson  Creek,  Sinking 
Creek,  Trammel's  Creek,  Russell's  Creek,  Sinks  of 
Beaver  Creek,  Barren,  and  Mill  Creek.  Of  the  nine 
churches  they  are  all  named  for  creeks  but  one.  It 
will  be  observed  that  Severn's  VaUey  is  not  in  this 
list.  Severn's  Valley  first  appears  in  the  minutes  of 
1801.  The  minutes  of  that  year  report  nineteen 
churches,  nine  of  which  came  in  at  that  session,  and 
Severn's  Valley  is  named  as  one  of  the  nine.  Then 
at  the  1803  session  the  minutes  mention  the  fact  that 


The  First  Associations  Constituted — 1785      55 

"Severn's  Valley  requests  a  letter  of  dismission  from 
the  association  to  join  one  more  convenient — 
granted."  According  to  the  old  minutes  the  nine 
churches  of  which  Green  River  Association  was  con- 
stituted aggregated  361  members.  The  preachers  in 
the  organization,  as  far  as  known,  were  Alexander 
Davidson,  Carter  Tarrant,  Robert  Stockton,  Robert 
Smith,  John  Mulky,  Elijah  Summers,  Benjamin  Lynn, 
and  probably  Alexander  McDougal  and  Baldwin 
Clifton. 

The  association  was  constituted  just  about  the 
commencement  of  "The  Great  Revival,"  and  so  the 
growth  of  the  young  fraternity  was  exceedingly 
rapid.  Its  third  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Mill 
Creek,  in  what  is  now  Monroe  County,  July  31,  1802. 
Robert  Stockton  was  chosen  moderator  and  John 
Chandler  clerk.  Messengers  were  present  from  thirty 
churches,  twelve  of  which  had  been  constituted  since 
the  last  session,  which  aggregated  1,763  members. 
The  numerical  strength  of  the  body  multiplied  more 
than  five-fold  within  two  years.  Benjamin  Lynn,  the 
Daniel  Boone  of  the  Kentucky  Baptists,  was  present 
at  this  meeting,  and  was  invited  to  a  seat  in  the  body. 
Elder  Jonathan  Mulky  was  present  from  Holston 
Association,  in  East  Tennessee, ;  Lewis  Moore,  from 
Mero  District ;  Owen  Owens,  from  Salem ;  and  letters 
from  Elkhorn,  Bracken  and  News  (N.  C.).  It  was 
"agreed  to  open  correspondence  with  all  the  Baptist 
associations  in  Kentucky."  These  were  Elkhorn, 
Salem,  Tates  Creek,  Bracken,  North  District,  South 
District,  and  Mero  District,  the  latter  being  partly  in 
Kentucky  and  partly  in  Tennessee.  This  shows  that 
there  was  a  time  when  all  the  Baptists  in  Kentucky 
were  united. 

According  to  history  there  were  six  associations 
of  Baptists  in  Kentucky  in  the  year  1800,  all  of  which 
have  been  constituted  within  a  period  of  fifteen  years. 
According  to  the  minutes  of  Green  River  Association, 
1804,  that  body  was  divided  into  three  associations — 
Green  River,  Russell's  Creek,  and  Stockton's  Valley. 


56         Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

Spencer  says  (Vol.  II,  p.  252),  "When  Green 
River  Association  divided  on  the  question  of  missions, 
in  1840,  it  (the  Salem  church)  entered  with  seven 
other  churches  into  the  constitution  of  Liberty  Asso- 
ciation." This  fixes  the  date  when  Green  River 
Association  became  anti-missionary. 

The  space  allotted  to  this  chapter  is  too  limited  to 
give  even  the  names  and  dates  of  constitution  of  all 
the  associations  (there  being  at  this  date  seventy-six 
in  the  state).  We  shall  give  only  items  of  special 
historical  interest  from  the  others,  and  a  summary 
at  the  end  of  the  chapter. 

North  District  Association,  according  to  history, 
resulted  from  a  division  of  the  old  South  Kentucky 
fraternity  in  August,  1801,  and  held  its  first  annual 
meeting  at  Unity  meeting-house  in  Clark  County  on 
the  first  Friday  in  October,  1802. 

There  are  several  very  interesting  items  recorded 
in  the  history  of  this  association  as  given  by  Spencer 
(Vol.  2,  p.  119  ff ) .  One  is  the  question  of  slavery 
which  caused  a  division  in  the  association  as  early  as 
1807,  fifty-four  years  before  the  war  between  the 
states.  "The  question  of  slavery  continued  to  be 
agitated  in  the  bounds  of  the  association  for  nearly 
twenty  years,"  says  Spencer.  These  facts  will  be 
brought  out  fully  in  the  chapter  on  ''The  Emancipa- 
tion Rupture.' ' 

The  next  item  of  interest  is  the  question  of  Camp- 
bellism,  which  took  root  early  in  the  association  and 
caused  another  split.  "Mr.  Campbell  visited  Mount 
Sterling  as  early  as  1824,  and  preached  three  sermons 
there.  John  Smith,  commonly  known  as  'Raccoon' 
John  Smith,  the  most  attractive  preacher  and  the 
shrewdest  manager  in  the  association,  was  speedily 
converted  to  his  views.  Several  other  preachers  of 
less  note  soon  followed  him.  The  churches  withered 
under  the  constant  disputations  for  two  or  three 
years.  But  suddenly,  about  the  close  of  the  year 
1827,  a  powerful  religious  excitement  began  to  move 
the  people  here,  as  well  as  all  over  the  northern  part 


The  First  Associations  Constituted — 1785      57 

of  the  state.  Multitudes  professed  conversion  and 
were  baptized.  The  Campbellite  preachers  were  by- 
far  the  most  active  in  this  work.  John  Smith's 
biographer  avers  that  Smith  immersed  most  of  the 
converts.  Of  course,  they  were  'baptized  for  the  re- 
mission of  sins.'  This  meeting  has  been  called,  not 
inappropriately,  'John  Smith's  Revival.'  During  the 
two  years,  1828  and  1829,  the  churches  of  North 
District  reported  1,059  baptisms,  while  five  new 
churches  were  constituted  'on  the  Bible.'  The  asso- 
ciation now  numbered  24  churches  with  2,265  mem- 
bers. But  it  was  no  longer  a  Baptist  association.  The 
Campbellites  had  an  overwhelming  majority  in  the 
association,  as  well  as  in  most  of  the  churches.  The 
association  went  through  the  ordinary  routine  of  busi- 
ness in  1829,  and  appointed  to  meet  the  next  year 
at  Spencer  Creek. 

"Instead  of  attending  the  meeting  at  Spencer 
Creek,  where  they  knew  they  would  be  in  a  hopeless 
minority,  the  Baptists  called  a  convention,  which  met 
at  Lulbegrud,  in  April,  1830.  Only  seven  churches 
were  represented.  The  principal  business  transacted 
by  the  meeting  was  the  examination  of  the  records 
of  South  Kentucky  and  North  District  associations, 
to  ascertain  what  had  been  the  duties  and  customs 
of  those  bodies.  The  investigation  showed  that  the 
established  customs  of  North  District  Association  had 
been  repeatedly  and  flagrantly  violated  during  the 
last  three  years."  The  full  report  of  the  committee 
appointed  to  make  the  investigation  and  the  action 
of  the  body  will  appear  in  a  chapter  on  "The  Camp- 
bellian  Split."  "After  giving  their  reasons  for  their 
conclusions,  and  transacting  some  other  business,  they 
conclude  as  follows :  '  In  conclusion,  we  declare  that 
we  withdraw  from  all  churches  that  have  departed, 
as  before  alleged,  considering  them  in  disorder  and 
gone  out  of  the  union.  But  at  the  same  time,  our 
fellowship  is  not  broken  with  such  minorities,  or  in- 
dividual members,  as  are  content  with  former  usages 
of  the  churches'  "  (Spencer,  Vol.  2,  p.  123).     This 


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60         Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

gives  us  an  account  of  the  beginning  of  Campbellism 
in  Kentucky,  the  end  of  which  is  not  yet. 

The  next  item  of  special  interest  is  the  account  of 
Anti-missions  which  practically  killed  the  association. 
"North  District  Association  held  its  first  meeting  after 
the  Campbellite  schism  at  Howard's  Upper  Creek, 
in  Clark  County,  on  the  fourth  Saturday  in  July, 
1831.  It  embraced  11  churches  with  950  members. 
Thomas  Boone,  David  Chenault,  and  James  Edmon- 
son were  the  only  preachers  left  in  the  association. 
Small  as  the  body  was  then,  it  has  never  been  so  large 
since.  It  was  acknowledged  and  encouraged  by  all 
the  surrounding  associations;  but  it  gradually  de- 
clined in  numbers.  The  anti-missionary  complexion 
of  the  body  was  manifested  by  its  dropping  corre- 
spondence with  all  the  neighboring  associations, 
except  Burning  Spring,  between  the  years  1837  and 
1842.  In  1859  it  assumed  the  name  of  'Old  Baptists,' 
which  it  still  bears.  At  that  time  it  numbered  9 
churches,  aggregating  337  members.  It  has  had  but 
little  variation  in  numbers  from  that  time  to  the 
present.  In  1880  it  numbered  9  churches  with  417 
members.  From  its  organization  in  1802  to  the  Camp- 
bellite schism  in  1829  there  were  baptized  into  its 
churches  4,075  members.  During  the  39  years  of 
which  we  have  reports,  since  the  Campbellite  schism, 
there  have  been  baptized  into  its  churches  513  mem- 
bers. Its  name,  'Old  Baptists,'  indicates  that  it  is 
an  anti-missionary  body."    (Spencer,  Vol.  2,  p.  124f.) 

Thus  the  once  strong  North  District  Association 
has  practically  died  as  the  result  of  the  anti-mission 
spirit.  What  the  slavery  agitation  and  the  Camp- 
bellism split  failed  to  do  anti-missions  accomplished. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1800  there  were  in  Ken- 
tucky six  associations — six  churches  belonging  to  the 
Mero  District  Association  of  Tennessee  and  three  un- 
associated  churches — with  a  total  membership  of  about 
5,119.  The  six  associations  were  Elkhorn,  Salem, 
South  Kentucky,  Tate's  Creek,  Bracken  and  Green 
River. 


The  First  Associations  Constituted — 1785      61 

The  decade  follewin^  1800  added  the  following 
associations:  North  District  and  South  District  were 
formed  by  disbanding  the  old  South  Kentucky  in 
1802,  South  Kentucky  (1803),  North  Bend  (1803), 
Long  Run  (1803),  Russell's  Creek  (1804),  Stockton's 
Valley  (1805),  Red  River  (1807),  Cumberland  River 
(1809),  Licking  (1810).  As  Long  Run  is  the  largest 
association  in  the  state,  we  give  here  a  short  history 
of  this  body.  The  Long  Run  Association  was  con- 
stituted September  16,  1803,  at  Long  Run  Church  in 
Jefferson  County,  Kentucky.  It  seems  that  prac- 
tically all  of  the  churches  that  went  into  this  constitu- 
tion were  from  the  Salem  Association,  and  according 
to  a  resolution  adopted  by  that  body  at  its  nineteenth 
annual  session.  The  Long  Run  body  was  constituted 
of  24  churches  with  a  membership  of  1,619.  Im- 
mediately following  the  constitution  of  the  association 
two  other  churches  were  received  into  their  fellowship. 

Long  Run  includes  all  the  Baptist  churches  in 
Louisville,  and  those  in  Jefferson  County  outside  of 
Louisville  and  a  few  outside  of  Jefferson  County.  At 
the  present  time  they  report  50  churches  and  16,830 
members.  Their  total  contributions  for  last  year  is 
given  as  $427,548.08,  while  the  valuation  of  church 
property  is  given  at  $1,091,529.  This  is  a  great 
association. 


CHAPTER  V 

The  Great  Revival  of  1800 

In  the  great  revivals  betv^een  1797  and  1812, 
especially  in  Kentucky,  most  marked  mental  and 
spiritual  phenomena  appeared,  such  as  "the  Jerks," 
"The  falling  exercise,"  etc. 

The  first  instance  noted  was  in  1797,  under  the 
preaching  of  McGready  and  McGree,  Presbyterian 
ministers.  From  thence  it  spread  rapidly  over  Ken- 
tucky and  parts  of  Tennessee,  and  soon  became  in- 
separable from  the  "camp  meetings,"  then  so  popular 
throughout  the  country.  The  following  account  is 
taken  from  Anti-Missionism  (17-19)  by  Dr.  B.  H. 
Carroll,  Jr. : 

"Some  fell  suddenly  as  if  struck  by  lightning, 
while  others  were  seized  with  a  universal  tremor  the 
moment  before,  and  fell  shrieking.  Piercing  shrieks 
were  uttered  by  many  during  the  whole  period  of 
prostration,  intermingled  with  groans,  cries  for  mercy, 
and  exclamations  of  "Glory  to  God!"  In  general 
there  was  no  complaint  of  pain,  but  of  general  weak- 
ness during  and  after  the  paroxysms.  Women  would 
fall  while  walking  to  and  from  the  meeting-house, 
engaged  in  narrating  past  exercises,  or  drop  from 
their  horses  on  the  road.  In  this  condition  the  subject 
would  lie  fifteen  minutes  or  two  or  three  hours;  and 
we  are  even  told  of  a  woman's  lying,  without  eating 
or  speaking,  for  nine  days  and  nights.  Some  were 
more  or  less  convulsed,  and  wrought  hard  in  frightful 
nervous  agonies,  the  eyes  rolling  widely.  But  the 
greater  number  were  quite  motionless,  as  if  dead  or 
about  to  expire  in  a  few  moments.  Some  were  capable 
of  conversing,  others  were  not.  During  the  syncope, 
and  even  when  conscious  and  talking  on  religious 
topics,  the  subject  was  insensible  of  pain.     Vinegar 

62 


The  Great  Revival  of  1800  63 

and    hartshorn    were    applied    with    no    perceptible 

effects During  the  great  camp  meeting  at  Cane 

Ridge,  August  6,  1801,  three  thousand  were  computed 
to  have  fallen. 

"A  similar  affection  to  this  was  'the  jerking  exer- 
cise,' or  as  it  was  commonly  called,  'the  jerks.'  In 
this  exercise  the  subject  was  instantaneously  seized 
with  spasms  or  convulsions  in  every  muscle,  nerve  and 
tendon.  His  head  was  jerked  from  side  to  side  with 
such  rapidity  that  it  was  impossible  to  distinguish 
his  visage,  and  the  most  lively  fears  were  entertained 
lest  he  should  dislocate  his  neck,  or  dash  out  his 
brains.  His  body  partook  of  the  same  impulse,  and 
was  hurried  on  by  jerks  over  every  obstacle,  fallen 
trunks  of  trees,  or,  in  a  church,  over  pews  and 
benches,  apparently  to  the  most  imminent  danger  of 
being  bruised  and  mangled.  It  was  useless  to  attempt 
to  restrain  or  hold  him,  and  the  paroxysm  was  per- 
mitted gradually  to  exhaust  itself. 

"Wicked  men  were  often  taken  with  these  strange 
exercises,  and  many  would  curse  the  jerks  while  they 
were  under  their  singular  operation.  Some  were 
taken  at  the  tavern  with  a  glass  of  liquor  in  their 
hands,  which  they  would  suddenly  toss  over  their 
heads  or  to  a  distant  part  of  the  room.  Others  were 
taken  with  them  at  the  card  table,  and  at  other  places 
of  dissipation,  and  would  by  a  violent  and  unaffected 
jerk  throw  a  handful  of  cards  all  over  the  room. 

"The  rolling  exercise,  the  running  exercise,  the 
dancing  exercise,  the  barking  exercise,  the  laughing 
exercise,  and  visions  and  trances  were  frequent  con- 
comitants of  camp  meetings  in  Kentucky  and  Ten- 
nessee during  the  great  revival.  These  exercises  were 
simply  such  variations  of  the  foregoing  as  their  names 
would  naturally  suggest."  It  is  generally  conceded 
by  historians  that  the  Baptists  declined  to  join  in 
general  camp  meetings,  and  were  therefore  but  little 
affected  by  these  strange  phenomena.  "In  1800,  in 
Kentucky,  the  statistics  compared  with  those  of  1790 
show  a  falling  off  of  100  per  cent  in  Baptist  mem- 


64         Kenincky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

bership  in  proportion  to  increase  in  population, ' '  says 
Spencer.  This  was  the  ten  years  just  prior  to  the 
great  revival.  The  ten  years  just  following  the  re- 
vival— 1800  to  1810 — show  a  great  Baptist  gain. 
Doctor  Spencer  says,  "The  revival  of  1800  was  one 
of  the  most  wonderful  events  of  modern  times.  It 
appeared  more  like  the  sudden  conversion  of  a  nation 
than  the  regeneration  and  reformation  of  indi- 
viduals." After  telling  of  the  marvelous  manifesta- 
tions in  the  jerks,  rolling,  jumping,  dancing,  etc., 
Doctor  Spencer  says,  "Doubtless  there  were  many 
people  truly  converted,"  but  he  adds,  "it  is  equally 
certain  that  great  evil  resulted."  This,  of  course, 
would  be  expected.  Periods  of  great  religious  excite- 
ment are  often  prolific  of  much  evil. 

According  to  Spencer  Baptists  took  but  little  part 
in  these  camp  meetings  where  there  was  wild  excite- 
ment. In  fact,  he  says  "they  joined  in  only  one  of 
these  union  meetings  so  far  as  is  known."  Again  he 
says,  "It  is  certain  that  the  Baptists  in  Kentucky 
were  generally  exempt  from  the  excesses  of  the  great 
revival  of  1800  that  so  sorely  afflicted  the  Presby- 
terians. And  instead  of  its  resulting  in  discord,  it 
healed  the  only  schism  there  was  among  them." 
(Spencer,  Vol.  I,  p.  536.) 

There  were  other  good  results.  "The  revival  had 
an  especially  happy  effect  on  the  Baptists  in  dispos- 
ing them  to  make  more  effort  to  heal  some  unhappy 
divisions  that  existed  among  them,  and  in  enlarging 
the  spirit  of  missions.  Hitherto  their  missionary 
operations  had  been  confined  to  sending  their  min- 
isters to  look  after  their  destitute  brethren  in  Ken- 
tucky and  in  the  adjacent  borders  of  Tennessee, 
Indiana,  and  Ohio.  But  in  1801,  at  the  meeting  of 
Elkhorn  Association,  which  comprised  one-third  of 
the  Baptists  in  the  state,  and  probably  more  than 
two-thirds  of  their  wealth  and  influence,  a  request 
came  up  from  South  Elkhorn  Church  'to  send  mis- 
sionaries to  the  Indian  nations'  "  (Spencer,  Vol.  I, 
p.  543).    As  a  result  of  this  request  a  committee  was 


The  Great  Revival  of  1800  65 

appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  matter,  and  at  least 
one  missionary  was  sent  out,  for  the  records  show 
that  "John  Young  was  approved  by  the  committee 
and  sent  as  a  missionary  to  the  Indians. ' ' 

In  the  account  of  this  revival,  given  by  Mr.  Roose- 
velt ("The  Winning  of  the  West,"  Vol.  VI,  p.  175), 
after  saying  many  of  the  so-called  converts  went  back 
into  utter  unbelief  and  sinful  practices  worse  than 
the  ones  they  had  given  up,  he  adds,  "Nevertheless, 
on  the  whole  there  was  an  immense  gain  for  good. 
The  people  received  a  new  light,  and  were  given  a 
sense  of  moral  responsibility  such  as  they  had  not 
previously  possessed.  Much  of  the  work  was  done 
badly,  or  was  afterwards  undone,  but  very  much  was 
really  accomplished." 

We  are  very  much  inclined  to  agree  with  Mr. 
Roosevelt  at  this  point.  While  there  were  wild 
excesses  and  evil  results,  there  was  much  good  on  the 
whole  accomplished  by  this  great  revival.  The 
spiritual  interest  and  gain  in  membership  in  our 
churches  indicate  this. 


CHAPTER  VI 

The  Regular  and  Separate  Baptists  in  Kentucky 
United— 1801 

Many  of  our  people  of  the  present  time  do  not 
understand  what  is  meant  by  ''United  Baptists,"  as 
the  term  long  since  has  fallen  into  disuse. 

In  the  early  history  of  Baptists  in  Kentucky  they 
were  divided  into  "Regular  Baptists"  and  "Separate 
Baptists,"  which,  as  Doctor  Spencer  says,  "was  a 
distinction  without  a  difference, ' '  very  largely.  These 
distinctions  continued  for  some  years,  but  effort  after 
effort  was  made  until  a  union  was  finally  effected. 

I  use  here  a  part  of  an  address  by  Dr.  W.  M. 
Pratt,  and  published  in  Jubilee  Volume  1887  (p.  46). 

"The  early  Baptist  churches  in  Kentucky  had 
troubles  within. 

"First.  To  secure  unity  between  the  two  classes 
of  Baptists — the  Regulars  and  the  Separates. 

"The  Separate  Baptists  had  their  origin  in  New 
England  about  the  middle  of  the  last  century  as  the 
result  of  the  great  revival  under  the  ministry  of 
Jonathan  Edwards  and  George  Whitfield.  Those  who 
withdrew  from  the  'Standing  Order'  (Congrega- 
tionalist)  were  called  Separates  or  New  Lights. 
Among  their  number  was  Shubal  Stearns,  who  sub- 
sequently, on  investigating  the  Scriptures,  united  with 
the  Baptists  and  was  baptized  by  Elder  Wait  Palmer 
at  Tolland,  Connecticut,  and  was  ordained  to  the  Bap- 
tist ministry  by  Elders  Palmer  and  Moore.  He  felt 
impressed  that  his  work  in  the  ministry  was  to  be 
outside  of  New  England,  as  in  1754,  together  with 
his  wife,  sons,  and  his  two  brothers  and  their  wives, 
his  brother-in-law,  David  Marshall  and  wife,  Joseph 
Breed  and  wife,  Enos  Steinson  and  wife,  and  Joseph 
Polk  and  wife,  he  left  for  the  South,  and  located  on 


Regular  and  Separate  Baptists  United — 1801    67 

Sanday  Creek,  North  Carolina,  and  immediately 
formed  a  church  of  these  members  of  his  household- 
David  Marshall  and  Joseph  R.  Breed  were  appointed 
by  the  infant  church  to  assist  the  pastor  in  his 
ministerial  work.  On  his  way  to  North  Carolina  he 
stopped  for  a  short  time  in  northeast  Virginia  and 
formed  acquaintance  with  two  churches  in  that  region. 
The  spirituality  of  the  Christian  religion  was  then 
untaught,  and  only  in  isolated  instances  was  unknown 
in  that  region.  The  most  wonderful  effects  resulted 
from  the  preaching  of  these  men  of  God,  and  the 
spirituality  of  this  little  church  on  Sandy  Creek, 
Guildford  County,  North  Carolina,  in  the  middle 
of  the  state,  and  about  forty  miles  east  of  the  Yadkin 
River,  where  Daniel  Boone  resided,  at  the  time  when 
he  explored  Kentucky.  Doctor  Cathcart  says,  'The 
parent  body  in  a  few  years  had  606  members,  and  in 
seventeen  years  from  its  origin  it  had  branches  south- 
ward as  far  as  Georgia,  eastward  to  the  sea  and  the 
Chesapeake  Bay,  and  northward  to  the  waters  of  the 
Potomac.  It  has  become  the  mother,  grandmother, 
and  great-grandmother  of  forty-two  churches,  from 
which  125  ministers  were  sent  out  as  licentiates  or 
ordained  clergymen.  And  in  after  years  the  power 
that  God  gave  Shubal  Stearns  and  his  Sandy  Creek 
Church  in  North  Carolina  with  resistless  force 
brought  immense  throngs  to  Christ  and  established 
multitudes  of  Baptist  churches.'  (Baptist  Encyclo- 
pedia). Probably  no  one  minister  in  America  has 
exerted  so  extensive  and  permanent  influence.  George 
Whitfield  was  Calvinistic  in  his  view,  so  was  Shubal 
Stearns.  A  peculiar  feature  of  his  church  was  a 
refusal  to  formulate  articles  of  faith.  They  merely 
had  a  written  Church  Covenant,  and  took  the  Bible 
alone  as  their  rule  of  belief.  He  possessed  the  spirit 
and  activity  of  the  early  Methodists,  and  communi- 
cated the  same  to  his  disciples. 

"The  large  majority  of  the  earlier  ministers  of 
Kentucky  were  baptized  by  Separate  Baptist  minis- 
ters, imbibed  the  spirit  and  pursued  the  course  of 


68         Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

Shubal  Stearns,  traveling  to  distant  fields  of  evangeli- 
cal labor,  organizing  churches  and  becoming  them- 
selves pioneers  in  church  enterprise.  The  Philadel- 
phia Association  was  constituted  1707,  and  at  one 
time  comprehended  nearly  all  the  churches  from  New 
England  to  South  Carolina.  She  was  the  originator 
of  Eaton's  Academy  at  Hopewell,  N.  J.,  and  Brown's 
University  in  Rhode  Island,  and  her  ministers  were 
of  considerable  culture.  She  adopted  and  published 
her  creed  in  1742.  (Printed  by  Benjamin  Franklin, 
Philadelphia,  1743).  This  was  the  'Confession  of 
Faith'  by  Baptists  in  London  and  the  country  in 
1689.  This  mother  of  Baptist  Associations  in  Amer- 
ica exerted  a  most  conservative  and  wise  influence 
over  these  newly  formed  churches  in  the  South.  She 
commissioned  her  wisest  men  to  visit  the  settlements, 
and  to  give  wholesome  instruction  to  the  churches  and 
their  ministers.  The  churches  connected  immediately 
with  her  body  were  called  'Regulars,'  and  those  which 
arose  from  this  new  movement  were  termed  'Sepa- 
rates. '  As  a  result  of  this  judicious  course  most  of  the 
early  ministers  who  came  to  Kentucky  and  established 
churches  adopted  the  'Philadelphia  Confession'  as  an 
exponent  of  their  faith.  The  churches  south  of  Ken- 
tucky River  mostly  organized  on  the  original  plat- 
form of  Shubal  Stearns,  with  simply  a  church  cove- 
nant. The  associations  of  the  Regular  Baptists,  both 
in  Virginia  and  Kentucky,  made  overtures  to  the  Sep- 
arates for  a  union,  which,  after  some  delay,  was  con- 
summated in  Virginia,  August  10,  1787,  and  in  Ken- 
tucky, partially  in  1797,  and  fully  in  1801,  under  the 
name  of  'United  Baptists,'  adopting  in  both  states 
the  Philadelphia  Confession  of  Faith,  with  certain 
'explanations.'  Thus  the  Baptists  of  Virginia  and 
Kentucky  possess  the  two-fold  elements  of-  Calvinistic 
faith  of  the  oldest  association  in  America  and  the 
holy  fervor  and  boundless  zeal  of  the  Separates — a 
most  excellent  combination.  The  two  classes  are  so 
thoroughly  wedded,  that  for  years  past  not  only  party 
names  dropped,  but  the  word  'United'  also,  and  'Bap- 


Regular  and  Separate  Baptists  United — 1801    69 

tist '  alone  remains  to  indicate  our  distinctive  views. ' ' 
This  shows  that  the  union  was  effective.  Benedict 
(page  812)  in  speaking  of  "The  Regulars  and  Sepa- 
rates in  Kentucky,"  says :  "These  distinctions  which 
we  have  described  under  the  head  of  Virginia,  the 
Carolinas,  etc.,  began  early  to  appear  in  this  western 
region ;  the  parties  which  maintained  them,  were 
lineal  descendants  of  the  same  people  in  the  east,  and 
here  again  we  find  the  successors  of  Stearns,  Marshall, 
and  other  New  England  New  Lights. 

"The  Elkhorn  and  South  Kentucky  Associations 
embraced  the  substance  of  the  two  parties  in  the  early 
movements  of  the  Baptists  in  this  new  region,  and  by 
these  bodies  a  reconciliation  and  union  was  effected 
similar  to  those  which  have  been  described  in  Vir- 
ginia and  North  Carolina. 

"The  meeting  for  this  purpose  was  held  at 
Howard's  Creek,  N.  H.,  in  Clark  County,  in  1801.  A. 
Dudley,  J.  Price,  J.  Redding,  D.  Barrow,  and  R. 
Elkin  represented  the  Regulars;  D.  Ramey,  Thomas 
J,  Chilton,  M.  Bledsoe,  S.  Johnson  the  Separates." 

The  Terms  of  Union:  The  terms  of  the  union  as 
given  by  Benedict  (page  821)  are:  "We,  the  com- 
mittees of  the  Elkhorn  and  South  Kentucky  Asso- 
ciations, do  agree  to  unite  on  the  following  plan  : 

"1.  That  the  scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Tes- 
tament are  the  infallible  word  of  God,  and  the  only 
rule  of  faith  and  practice. 

"2,  That  there  is  one  only  true  God,  and  in  the 
God-head  or  divine  essence,  there  are  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost. 

"3.  That  by  nature  we  are  fallen  and  depraved 
creatures. 

"4.  That  salvation,  regeneration,  sanctification, 
and  justification,  are  by  the  life,  death,  resurrection, 
and  ascension  of  Jesus  Christ. 

' '  5.  That  the  saints  will  finally  persevere  through 
grace  to  glory. 

"6.  That  believers'  baptism,  by  immersion,  is 
necessary  to  receiving  the  Lord's  Supper. 


70         Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

*  *  7.  That  the  salvation  of  the  righteous  and  pun- 
ishment of  the  wicked  will  be  eternal. 

"8.  That  it  is  our  duty  to  be  tender  and  affec- 
tionate to  each  other,  and  study  the  happiness  of  the 
children  of  God  in  general;  to  be  engaged  singly  to 
promote  the  honor  of  God. 

"9.  And  that  the  preaching  Christ  tasted  death 
for  every  man,  shall  be  no  bar  to  communion. 

"10.  And  that  each  may  keep  up  their  associa- 
tional  and  church  government  as  to  them  may  seem 
best. 

"11.  That  a  free  correspondence  and  communion 
be  kept  up  between  the  churches  thus  united. 

"  tJnanimously  agreed  to  by  the  joint  committee. 
Ambrose  Dudley,  Joseph  Redding,  Robert  Elkin, 
John  Price,  David  Barrow,  Daniel  Ramey,  Thos.  J. 
Chilton,  Samuel  Johnson,  Moses  Bledsoe." 

Benedict  says  ' '  This  was  the  last  body  of  the  Sepa- 
rate Baptists  which  relinquishes  the  appellation  by 
which  they  had  been  distinguished  about  fifty  years. ' ' 
For  a  short  time  the  term  "United  Baptists"  was 
used,  but  it  soon  dropped  out  of  use  and  our  people 
were  known  simply  as  ' '  Baptists, ' '  until  the  split  over 
the  mission  question,  (about  1832),  and  then  we  were 
called  "Missionary  Baptists"  to  distinguish  us  from 
the  Anti-missionary  Baptists.  However,  as  the  Anti- 
missionary  Baptists  have  about  disappeared  the  term 
"Missionary"  is  not  now  necessary  in  connection  with 
the  name  "Baptists"  as  we  are  now  called.  Our 
churches  today  are  known  simply  as  Baptist  churches, 
which  is  quite  sufficient,  since  other  bodies  using  the 
name  "Baptist"  use  some  designating  term  as,  "Free- 
will," "General,"  "Old  School,"  etc.  Our  denomi- 
nation is  put  down  in  history  and  in  statistics  simply 
"Baptists." 


CHAPTER  VII 
The  Emancipation  Rupture — 1807 

Though  the  agitation  of  the  emancipation  of 
slaves  began  in  1789  in  the  meetings  of  Kentucky 
Baptists  the  rupture  did  not  occur  until  1807.  ''The 
first  reference  to  the  unlawfulness  of  slavery,  found 
on  the  public  records  of  Kentucky  Baptists,  is  con- 
tained in  the  following  queries,  sent  from  Rolling 
Fork  Church,  in  Nelson  County,  to  Salem  Association, 
convened  at  Cox's  Creek  Church  in  the  same  county, 
on  the  third  of  October,  1789:  'Is  it  lawful  in  the 
sight  of  God  for  a  member  of  Christ 's  Church  to  keep 
his  fellow  creature  in  perpetual  slavery?'  The  ques- 
tion was  answered  thus:  'The  association  judge  it 
improper  to  enter  into  so  important  and  critical  mat- 
ter at  present,'  This  answer  gave  no  relief  to  the 
church."  ("History  of  Kentucky  Baptists,"  Vol.  I, 
p.  183.) 

The  question  of  slavery,  however,  was  already 
agitating  our  brethren  in  Virginia.  Semple's  History 
of  Virginia  Baptists,  Revised  Edition,  (p.  102),  says: 
' '  The  next  General  Committee  met  at  William 's  meet- 
ing house,  Goochland  County,  Friday,  the  seventh  of 
March,  1778."  The  date  here  evidently  should  be 
1788,  for  the  meeting  just  prior  to  this  was  1787,  and 
the  one  just  following  was  August,  1788,  It  seems 
that  the  committee  met  oftener  than  once  a  year. 
Doctor  Semple  then  adds  as  the  third  item  of  busi- 
ness, "Whether  a  petition  should  be  offered  to  the 
General  Assembly,  praying  that  the  yoke  of  slavery 
may  be  made  more  tolerable.  Referred  to  the  next 
session. "  It  seems  from  the  account  of  the  next  meet- 
ing, which  was  held  at  Dupuy's  meeting  house,  Au- 
gust 11,  1788,  the  question  of  slavery  was  not  taken 
up,  but  at  the  next  meeting  held  in  Richmond,  Au- 

71 


72         Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

gust  8,  1789,  the  matter  came  up  as  follows,  says  Sam- 
ple (p.  105)  :  *'The  propriety  of  hereditary  slavery 
was  also  taken  up  at  this  session,  and  after  some  time 
employed  in  the  consideration  of  the  subject  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  was  offered  by  Mr.  Leland  and 
adopted.  (The  Rev.  John  Leland-Nowlin).  Resolved 
that  slavery  is  a  violent  deprivation  of  the  rights  of 
nature  and  inconsistent  with  a  republican  govern- 
ment, and  therefore  recommend  it  to  our  brethren  to 
make  use  of  every  legal  measure  to  extirpate  this 
horrid  evil  from  the  land;  and  pray  Almighty  God 
that  our  honorable  Legislature  may  have  it  in  their 
power  to  proclaim  the  great  Jubilee,  consistent  with 
the  principles  of  good  policy."  Then  on  page  393 
Semple  says:  ''In  1787,  the  lawfulness  of  hereditary 
slavery  was  debated  in  the  association.  They  deter- 
mined that  hereditary  slavery  was  a  breach  of  the 
divine  law.  They  then  appointed  a  committee  to 
bring  in  a  plan  of  gradual  emancipation,  which  was 
accordingly  done." 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  early  Baptists  in  Vir- 
ginia expressed  opposition,  in  unmistakable  terms,  to 
slavery,  as  early  as  1787.  Our  Kentucky  associations 
were  in  correspondence  with  the  Virginia  associations, 
both  by  letter  and  messengers,  and  were  therefore 
advised  as  to  their  actions.  So  it  is  no  surprise  to  see 
the  matter  coming  up  two  years  later,  than  the  above 
Virginia  action,  in  a  Kentucky  association — the  Sa- 
lem. Elkhorn  Association,  at  its  meeting  in  August, 
1791,  says  Spencer,  (Vol.  I,  p.  184),  "Appointed  a 
committee  of  three  to  draw  up  a  memorial  to  the  con- 
vention to  be  held  on  the  third  day  of  April  next, 
requesting  them  to  take  up  the  subject  of  Religious 
Liberty,  and  Perpetual  Slavery  in  the  formation  of 
the  constitution  of  this  district,  and  report  at  the 
Crossing,  on  the  eighth  of  September.  Eastin,  Gar- 
rard and  Dudley  were  the  committee.  At  the  meeting 
at  Great  Crossings,  in  September  of  the  same  year, 
the  'memorial  on  Religious  Liberty  and  Perpetual 
Slavery  was  read  and  approved.'  This  action  of  the 


The  Emancipation  Rupture — 1807  73 

association  did  not  meet  the  approval  of  the  churches. 
Accordingly,  the  next  association,  which  met  at 
Bryants,  in  December  of  the  same  year,  and  which 
was  probably  convened,  in  extra  session,  for  this 
express  purpose,  'Resolved  that  the  association  dis- 
approve of  the  memorial  which  the  last  association 
agreed  to  send  to  the  convention,  on  the  subject  of 
Religious  Liberty  and  the  Abolition  of  Slavery.'  " 

After  this,  it  seems  that  the  question  of  slavery 
did  not  come  up  in  the  association  for  several  years. 
But  the  preachers  were  preaching  on  the  subject  and 
it  was  being  discussed  in  the  churches.  Emancipation 
parties  were  formed  in  many  churches,  which  was  a 
source  of  confusion  and  disturbance.  The  association 
finally  had  to  act  on  the  question  of  the  emancipation 
of  slaves.  "Elkhorn  Association,  during  its  session  at 
Bryant's,  in  1805,  again  took  up  the  subject  and 
passed  a  resolution,  that,  'This  association  judges  it 
improper  for  ministers,  churches  or  associations  to 
meddle  with  emancipation  from  slavery,  or  any  other 
political  subject,  and  as  such,  we  advise  ministers 
and  churches  to  have  nothing  to  do  therewith. ' 

"This  resolution  gave  great  offense  to  the  emanci- 
pators. They  became  much  more  active  and  deter- 
mined in  their  opposition  to  slavery.  Even  the  earnest 
and  laborious  William  Hickman  was  carried  beyond 
the  limits  of  prudence.  On  a  fast  day  of  that  same 
year,  he  preached  at  Elkhorn  Church,  of  which  he 
was  a  member,  and  the  pastor.  His  text  was  Isa. 
58 :6  :  '  Is  not  this  the  fast  I  have  chosen  ?  to  loose  the 
bands  of  wickedness,  to  undo  the  heavy  burdens,  and 
to  let  the  oppressed  go  free,  and  that  ye  break  every 
yoke?"  This  sermon,  says  Theodrick  Boulware,  'was 
disingenuous  and  offensive.  The  speaker  declared 
non-fellowship  for  all  slave  holders.  A  few  days 
afterwards  he  wrote  a  letter  to  the  church,  declaring 
his  withdrawal.'  Whether  he  went  into  the  constitu- 
tion of  an  emancipation  church,  or  not,  does  not 
appear.  John  Shackelford  was  called  to  the  care  of 
Forks  of  Elkhorn  Church  for  one  year.     Before  his 


74         Keniwky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

time  was  out  Mr.  Hickman  returned  and  gave  satis- 
faction to  the  church,  and,  when  the  year  was  out, 
resumed  its  pastorate. "  ("  History  of  Kentucky  Bap- 
tists," Vol.  I,  p.  185). 

This  gives  us  some  conception  of  the  disturbance 
in  the  Elkhorn  Association  caused  by  the  question  of 
emancipation.  About  this  same  time  John  Sutton  led 
off  a  party  from  the  Clear  Creek  Church,  which 
united  with  a  faction  led  out  of  Hillsboro  Church  by 
Carter  Tarrant,  and  formed  an  emancipation  church, 
called  New  Hope,  located  in  Woodford  County,  "the 
first  emancipation  church  in  this  part  of  the  world," 
says  John  Taylor.  ("History  of  Ten  Churches," 
p.  81). 

The  question  of  slavery  caused  a  division  in  the 
North  District  Association  in  1807.  Spencer  says, 
(Vol.  II,  119  f)  :  "In  1804,  Thomas  J.  Chilton,  from 
a  party  of  South  District  Association,  which  after- 
wards took  the  name  of  South  Kentucky  Association, 
presented  to  North  District,  charges  against  Jere- 
miah Vardeman  and  John  Kice.  As  the  party  repre- 
sented by  Mr.  Chilton  was  not  recognized  by  the  asso- 
ciation, the  charges  were  not  entertained.  But  the 
next  year,  the  same  body  entertained  five  charges 
against  David  Barrow,  the  ablest  preacher  in  their 
body.  These  charges  were  presented  by  the  messen- 
gers from  Bracken  Association,  and  pertained  to  Mr. 
Barrow's  sentiments  on  the  subject  of  slavery.  The 
association,  after  hearing  him,  in  his  own  defense, 
decided  that  his  explanations  and  apologies  were  suf- 
ficient. Some  of  the  churches,  however,  were  deter- 
mined to  get  rid  of  him;  and  new  provisions  were 
made  for  his  expulsion.  'Providence  and  Boone's 
Creek  Churches  inquire  how  a  church  shall  deal  with 
a  minister  who  propagates  doctrines  that' are  unsound 
or  pernicious  to  peace  and  good  order?  The  asso- 
ciation advises  that  a  church,  in  such  casses,  withdraw 
all  the  power  they  gave  such  preacher;  and  (that) 
two  preachers  may  suspend,  or  stop  such  preacher 
from  preaching,  until  he  can  be  tried  by  a  council  of 


The  EmaiicipaUon  Rupture — 1807  75 

five  ministers,  whose  decision,  in  such  case,  ought  to 
be  obeyed,  until  reversed  by  the  association.'  This 
rule,  however,  unbaptistic,  was  applied  to  Mr.  Bar- 
row almost  immeditely  after  the  association  ad- 
journed. At  the  next  meeting  of  the  body,  in  1806, 
the  following  proceedings  were  entered  on  its  min- 
utes: 

'*  'A  committee  or  council  of  five  ministers  re- 
ported: That,  agreeable  to  provision  made  last  asso- 
ciation, for  the  trial  of  ministers,  they  had  been  deal- 
ing with  Brother  David  Barrow,  for  preaching  the 
doctrine  of  emancipation,  to  the  hurt  and  injury  of 
the  brotherhood.  And  the  association,  after  consid- 
ering the  foregoing  report,  and  hearing  what  Brother 
Barrow  had  to  say,  in  justification  of  his  conduct,  on 
that  subject,  and  Brother  Barrow  manifesting  no  dis- 
position to  alter  his  mode  of  preaching,  as  to  the  afore- 
said doctrine,  they  proceeded  to  expel  him  from  his 
seat  in  this  association, '  They  also  '  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  deal  with  Brother  Barrow,  in  the  church 
at  Mount  Sterling,  at  their  next  monthly  meeting, 
and  report  to  next  association.' 

"Immediately  after  Mr.  Barrow's  expulsion  from 
North  District  Association,  he  commenced  arranging 
for  the  constitution  of  an  Emancipation  Association. 
A  meeting  was  called  to  convene  at  New  Hope,  in 
Woodford  County,  on  the  twenty-ninth  of  August, 
1807.  Eleven  preachers  and  nineteen  other  messen- 
gers were  enrolled  as  members  of  the  meeting.  Pre- 
liminary steps  were  taken,  for  the  organization  of  an 
association,  which  was  constituted  of  nine  churches, 
aggregiating  190  members,  the  following  September, 
This  association,  which  took  the  name  of  Licking 
Locust,  will  be  noticed  in  its  appropriate  place. 

"North  District  Association  saw  the  injustice  of 
her  rash  act  when  it  was  too  late  to  counteract  its  evil 
effects.  At  her  annual  meeting,  in  1807:  'The  asso- 
ciation proceeded  to  annul  and  revoke  the  act  of  last 
association,  in  expelling  Elder  David  Barrow  from 
his  seat  in  the  association.    But  she  had  already  lost 


76  Kentucky  Baptist  Hktory— 1770-1922 

at  least  three  churches  and  two  preachers  by  the 
transaction;  and  they  did  not  now  choose  to  return. 
The  subject  of  slavery  continued  to  be  agitated,  in  the 
bounds  of  the  association,  nearly  twenty  years." 

The  foregoing  shows  that  the  agitation  was  long 
and  bitter  in  this  association.  We  are  told  by  Spen- 
cer (Vol.  I,  p.  186)  that  ''The  excitement  extended 
all  over  the  settled  portion  of  the  state.  Several 
churches  in  Bracken  Association  fell  in  with  the 
emancipation  scheme.  Among  these  were  Licking 
Locust,  Lawrence  Creek,  Gilgal  and  Bracken.  Among 
the  churches  that  united  in  the  movement  from  North 
District,  were  Mount  Sterling  and  Bethel.  These  and 
a  number  of  other  churches  effected  an  organization, 
in  September,  1807,  under  the  name  of  '  The  Baptized 
Licking-Locust  Association,  Friends  of  Humanity.' 
At  their  next  meeting  they  resolved  'that  the  present 
mode  of  associations,  or  confederation  of  churches, 
was  unscriptural. '  They  then  proceeded  to  form 
themselves  into  an  'Abolition  Society,'  *  *  *  jn 
1816  they  met  at  Lawrence  Creek  meeting  house,  in 
Mason  County,  under  the  name  of  '  The  Association  of 
Baptists,  Friends  of  Humanity.'  The  following 
churches  were  represented:  Bracken,  Gilgal,  Law- 
rence Creek,  Mount  Sterling,  Bullskin  and  Bethel. 
No  account  was  received  from  New  Hope  in  Wood- 
ford County. 

"The  preaching  was  by  Jacob  Mahan,  Moses  Ed- 
wards and  Alexander.     The  Lord's  Supper 

was  administered  by  David  Barrow  and Thomp- 
son. There  is  a  manifest  tendency  to  'open  com- 
munion' and  other  signs  of  decay,  exhibited  in  the 
meager  journal  of  their  proceedings.  The  body  kept 
up  a  feeble,  withering  existence  till  about  the  year 
1820,  when  it  was  dissolved." 

It  seems  from  this  time  on  the  emancipation  ques- 
tion gave  the  churches  in  Kentucky  little  or  no  trou- 
ble. We  are  unable  to  understand  why  the  agitation 
died  down,  and  the  Emancipation  Association  dis- 
banded, unless  the  leaders  came  to  realize  that  they 


The  Emancipation  Rupture — 1807  77 

were  fighting  a  hopeless  battle;  and  that  their  ener- 
gies could  be  more  profitably  spent  along  other  lines. 
From  the  history  we  have  of  the  emancipation 
movement  it  accomplished  little,  or  no  good,  and  a 
vast  amount  of  harm.  It  disturbed  Baptist  churches 
and  associations  in  Kentucky  for  a  period  of  more 
than  thirty  years,  and  passed  away,  leaving  no  per- 
manent breach. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

The  Campbellian  Split — 1830 

We  have  now  reached  an  important  point  in  Ken- 
tucky Baptist  History — ''The  Current  Reformation." 
It  is  not  the  author's  purpose  in  this  chapter  to 
deliver  a  blow  at  Campbellism,  but  to  give  a  fair 
statement  of  an  important  chapter  in  Kentucky  Bap- 
tist history.  As  will  be  seen  from  the  following  facts 
a  definite  separation  has  taken  place  between  the  Bap- 
tists and  the  Disciples  by  the  close  of  1830. 

Thomas  Campbell  left  Scotland  for  the  United 
States  the  eighth  day  of  April,  1807,  and  Alexander 
Campbell,  his  son,  together  with  the  family,  sailed  for 
the  United  States  September  28,  1808,  "but  the  vessel 
in  which  the  family  had  embarked  being  shipwrecked 
off  the  Irish  coast,  the  family  returned  to  Europe  and 
Alexander  entered  the  University  of  Glasgow  Novem- 
ber 8,  the  same  year,  and  remained  until  the  close  of 
the  university  session  the  following  May,  1809  ((pp. 
130  and  190),  The  following  August,  the  same  year, 
Alexander,  together  with  the  family,  again  started 
for  the  United  States,  and  landed  in  New  York  Sep- 
tember 29,  1809,  and  shortly  after  reached  Washing- 
ton, Pa.,  in  time  to  read  and  approve  the  '  Declaration 
and  Address,'  as  the  constitution  of  the  Christian 
Association  was  called,  which  was  then  issuing  from 
the  press.  (Mem.  A.  C,  Vol.  I,  pp.  195  and  205)." 
Taken  from  "Origin  of  Campbellism,"  page  15. 

Thus  in  1809  we  find  Alexander  Campbell  in  the 
United  States.  It  is  not  the  author's  purpose  to  fol- 
low Mr.  Campbell  in  founding  and  developing  a  new 
sect,  but  to  notice  his  life  and  labors  as  they  touch  and 
affect  the  history  of  Kentucky  Baptists.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell began  preaching  in  Kentucky  as  early  as  1823, 
and  by  1830  there  was  a  definite  separation  between 

78 


The  Campbellian  Split— 1830  79 

the  Baptists  and  the  Disciples,  as  they  called  them- 
selves. The  labors  of  Mr.  Campbell  were  begun  in 
Kentucky  as  a  Baptist,  and  in  Baptist  churches.  In 
this  way  Mr.  Campbell  ingratiated  himself  into  the 
favor  of  the  Baptists  before  they  learned  that  he  ha^ 
been  called  to  re-establish  "the  ancient  order  of 
things."  Spencer  in  his  "History  of  Kentucky  Bap- 
tists" (Vol.  I,  p.  581)  on  "The  Rise  of  Campbellism" 
says: 

"The  Baptist  denomination  in  Kentucky  was 
probably  never  more  prosperous  than  in  the  year 
1820.  The  churches  and  associations  were  enjoying 
great  peace,  if  we  except  a  slight  interruption  of  the 
correspondence  between  Licking  and  Elkhorn  Asso- 
ciations, and  the  existence  of  the  South  Kentucky  and 
Nolyun  Associations  of  Separate  Baptists,  which  did 
not  correspond  with  the  other  associations  in  the  state. 
The  spirit  of  missions  had  been  greatly  revived  and 
the  churches  were  contributing  more  liberally  to  for- 
eign missions  than  those  of  any  other  portion  of  the 
United  States.  They  had  at  this  period  a  corps  of 
ministers  who,  in  all  the  elements  of  success,  ranked 
favorably  with  any  on  the  continent.  Wm.  C.  War- 
field,  Wm.  Warder,  Isaac  Hodgin,  Jeremiah  Varde- 
man,  George  Waller,  Silas  M.  Noel,  Walter  Warder 
and  Wm.  Vaughan,  all  brought  into  the  ministry  on 
the  soil  of  Kentucky,  were  men  of  eminent  ability, 
piety  and  usefulness.  Besides  these,  there  were  many 
preachers  of  less  note,  who  were  eminent  for  piety, 
zeal  and  usefulness.  With  these  advantages,  and  with 
a  membership  exceeding  in  numbers  that  of  all  other 
denominations  combined,  their  prospects  for  the  fu- 
ture were  peculiarly  hopeful. 

"The  general  revival  that  was  just  closing  had 
produced  no  schisms  or  discords.  Yet  the  enemy  had 
sown  tares  among  the  wheat  that  were  destined  to 
yield  an  abundant  harvest.  Some  bad  leaven  had 
been  introduced,  which  was  destined  to  work  disas- 
trous consequences.  The  opposition  to  missions,  theo- 
logical schools,  and,  indeed,  all  benevolent  societies, 


80         Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

had  already  exhibited  itself.  Taylor,  Parker  and 
some  others  had  taken  the  alarm,  and  sounded  the 
tocsin  of  war.  Suspicion  was  excited  among  the 
churches,  and  the  spirit  of  missions  began  to  subside, 
especially  among  the  illiterate  and  uninformed.  While 
avarice  was  not  by  any  means,  the  primal  cause  of 
opposition  to  missions  and  other  benevolent  enter- 
prises, it  doubtless  added  strength  to  it.  Taylor  was 
not  persistent  in  his  opposition;  Parker,  Nuckols  and 
others  were.  But  soon  there  arose  another  opponent 
to  benevolent  enterprises,  whose  brilliancy  eclipsed 
all  other  lights,  and  whose  influence  among  the  Bap- 
tists of  Kentucky  was  destined  to  exert  greater  evil 
among  them  than  that  of  any  other  man  of  his  gen- 
eration. This  was  Alexander  Campbell,  then  and 
during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  a  resident  of  Brook 
County,  Virginia.  For  a  time,  after  he  commenced 
his  career  as  editor  of  a  popular  religious  periodical, 
he  gave  his  influence  principally  to  opposing  missions, 
Bible  and  Tract  Societies,  and  Theological  Schools, 
and  to  curtailing  the  influence  and  pecuniary  support 
of  Christian  ministers,  whom  he  styled  'the  kingdom 
of  the  clergy, '  and  to  bringing  into  discredit  the  doc- 
trines and  practices  of  the  principal  religious  sects 
of  the  country." 

In  August,  1823,  Mr.  Campbell  began  the  publica- 
tion of  a  monthly  paper  which  he  called  The  Chris- 
tian Baptist,  and  in  October  of  the  same  year  he 
debated  with  W.  L.  McCalla,  Presbyterian,  at  Wash- 
ington, Mason  County,  Kentucky,  on  baptism.  But  to 
understand  the  "Current  Reformation"  in  Kentucky 
we  must  take  up  the  life  and  labors  of  Barton  W. 
Stone,  and  to  understand  Stone 's  movements  we  must 
take  some  notice  of  the  great  revival.  From  the  Me- 
moirs of  Wm.  Vaughan  (121  ff)  we  get  the  following 
informing  account  of  Barton  Stone's  movement. 

"In  the  year  1796  a  very  eloquent  Presbyterian 
preacher  by  the  name  of  McGready  immigrated  to 
Logan  County,  Kentucky,  and  was  settled  as  pastor 
over  two  churches  known  as  Red  and  Muddy  River. 


The  CampheUian  Split— 1830  81 

These  churches  were  in  a  cold  back-sliddeu  condition, 
and  of  this  he  writes  with  sadness.  We  quote  his 
own  words : 

"  'Our  infant  congregations  remained  in  a  state 
of  deadness  and  darkness  from  the  fall,  through  the 
winter  and  until  the  month  of  July,  1799.  On  Mon- 
day the  power  of  God  seemed  to  fill  the  congregation. 
The  boldest,  daring  sinners  in  the  county  covered 
their  faces  and  wept  bitterly.  After  the  congregation 
was  dismissed,  a  large  number  of  people  remained 
about  the  doors,  unwilling  to  go  away.  Some  of  the 
ministers  proposed  to  me  to  collect  the  people  in  the 
meeting  house  again  and  perform  prayer  with  them. 
The  mighty  power  of  God  came  among  us  like  a 
shower  from  the  everlasting  hills.  God's  people  were 
quickened  and  comforted ;  sinners  were  powerfully 
alarmed,  and  some  precious  souls  were  brought  to  feel 
the  pardoning  love  of  Jesus.  Gasper  River,  the  fol- 
lowing August,  was  the  scene  of  a  deep  religious 
interest.  After  the  sermon  the  pastor  gave  a  solemn 
exhortation.  The  people  for  some  time  kept  their 
seats,  while  a  deep  solemnity  prevailed  throughout 
the  congregation.  Some  cried  out  aloud  and  many 
fell  on  the  ground  and  laid  there,  groaning,  praying 
and  crying  for  mercy.  Not  long  after  this  a  deep 
religious  interest  was  awakened  along  the  banks  of 
the  Ohio. ' '  Further  Mr.  Vaughan  says :  "  'In  July, ' 
says  Mr.  McGready,  'multitudes  crowded  from  all 
parts  of  the  country,  to  see  a  strange  work  from  the 
distance  of  forty,  fifty  and  even  a  hundred  miles. 
Whole  families  came  in  their  wagons ;  between  twenty 
and  thirty  wagons  were  brought  to  the  place,  loaded 
with  people  and  their  provisions,  in  order  to  encamp 
at  the  meeting  house.  Of  many  instances  I  shall  men- 
tion one  of  a  little  girl.  I  stood  by  her  while  she  lay 
across  her  mother's  lap,  almost  in  despair.  I  was  con- 
versing with  her  when  the  first  gleam  of  light  broke  in 
upon  her  mind.  She  started  to  her  feet,  and  in  an 
ecstasy  of  joy  she  cried  out:  "  'Oh,  what  a  sweet 
Christ  he  is!"  etc.     Then  turning  around  she  ad- 

9 


82  Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

dressed  sinners  and  told  them  of  the  glory  and  will- 
ingness and  preciousness  of  Christ,  and  pleaded  with 
them  to  repent.' 

"This  was  the  first  camp-meeting.  The  excitement 
continued  and  the  Methodists,  always  more  or  less 
enthusiastic,  joined  in  and  fanned  the  flame.  It  ran 
from  settlement  to  settlement  until  the  whole  coun- 
try was  in  a  blaze.  The  people  were  amazed;  vice 
hid  her  head  and  infidelity  hushed  its  babbling  mouth. 
"This  religious  excitement  was  communicated  to 
Northern  Kentucky  in  the  following  manner ;  Barton 
W.  Stone,  who  was  pastor  of  two  Presbyterian  con- 
gregations, in  Bourbon  county,  and  which,  like  many 
other  churches  in  the  state,  were  in  a  condition  of 
great  coldness  and  deadness,  hearing  of  the  revival  in 
Southern  Kentucky  and  in  Tennessee,  under  the 
labors  of  James  McGready  and  other  Presbyterian 
ministers,  was  very  anxious  to  be  among  them,  and 
early  in  the  spring  of  1801,  he  went  there  to  attend 
a  camp-meeting.  He  will  give,  in  his  own  language, 
a  description  of  the  scene : 

"  'The  scene  to  me  was  passing  strange.  It  baf- 
fled description.  Many,  very  many,  fell  down  as  men 
slain  in  battle,  and  continued  for  hours  together  in 
an  apparently  breathless  and  motionless  state;  some- 
times, for  a  few  moments,  recovering  and  exhibiting 
symptoms  of  life  by  a  groan  or  a  piercing  shriek  or 
by  a  prayer  for  mercy,  most  fervently  uttered.  After 
lying  thus  for  hours,  they  obtained  deliverance.  I 
observed  with  critical  attention  every  thing  that 
passed.  After  attending  to  many  such  cases,  my  con- 
viction was  complete  that  it  was  a  good  work — the 
work  of  God — nor  has  my  mind  wavered  since  on  the 
subject.' 

"Stone  returned  to  Cane  Ridge,  in  Bourbon,  carry- 
ing with  him  the  intelligence  of  the  wonderful  revival 
in  Logan  County.  The  work  commenced  there  imme- 
diately. He  preached  in  the  morning  and  a  deep 
solemnity  prevailed.  At  night  two  little  girls  were 
affected  in  a  way  precisely  similar  to  those  in  Logan 


The  Campbellian  Split— 1830  83 

County,  and  the  next  morning,  as  Mr,  Stone  returned 
to  Cane  Ridge,  he  was  met  by  a  prominent  citizen, 
shouting  praise  to  God.  He  says:  'In  less  than 
twenty  minutes  scores  had  fallen  to  the  ground ;  pale- 
ness, trembling  and  anxiety  appeared  on  all.  They 
continued  on  the  spot  till  late  in  the  night,  and  many 
found  peace  in  the  Lord. '  The  effects  of  this  meeting 
were  electric.  Men,  women  and  children  were  in  a 
perfect  fever  with  excitement,  the  like  of  which  was 
never  known  before.  Following  the  example  of  the 
people  in  Southern  Kentucky,  it  was  resolved  to  hold 
a  camp-meeting  at  Cane  Ridge,  and  thus  facilitate  the 
good  work  already  begun.  This  meeting  was  noted 
for  the  numbers  that  attended  it,  and  the  wild  scenes 
that  were  then  enacted.    Hear  Mr.  Stone  again : 

' '  '  This  memorable  meeting  came  on  Thursday  and 
Friday  before  the  third  Lord's  day  in  August,  1801. 
The  roads  were  literally  crowded  with  wagons,  car- 
riages, horsemen  and  footmen,  moving  to  the  solemn 
camp.  The  sight  was  affecting.  It  was  judged  by 
military  men  on  the  ground  that  there  were  between 
twenty  and  thirty  thousand  collected.  Four  or  five 
preachers  were  frequently  speaking  at  the  same  time 
at  different  parts  of  the  encampment,  without  confu- 
sion.' "    Continuing  Mr.  Vaughan  says  (p.  128)  : 

"From  this  there  was  a  division  among  the  Pres- 
byterians. Those  who  were  opposed  to  the  extrava- 
gancies of  the  revivalists  formed  one  party,  and  those 
in  favor  of  them  the  other.  The  differences  between 
these  two  parties  were  sharp  and  well-defined.  The 
excitement  ran  high.  Crimination  and  recrimination 
were  the  order  of  the  day.  Those  who  headed  the 
revival  movement  were  Barton  W.  Stone,  Robert  Mar- 
shall, John  Thompson,  Richard  McNemar  and  John 
Dunlevy.  They  abandoned  the  old  land-marks  as  set 
forth  in  their  confession  of  faith,  and  their  funda- 
mental doctrines  were  'Rational  belief  and  war  to  the 
death  on  all  creeds,  systems,  and  confessions  of  faith. ' 
McNemar,  one  of  their  leaders,  has  thus  written: 
'They  adopted  a  very  different  faith,  and  taught  as 


84         Kentucky  Baptist  Eistory— 1770-1922 

an  important  truth  that  the  will  of  God  was  made 
manifest  to  each  individual  who  humbly  sought  after 
it,  by  an  inward  light  shone  into  the  heart.'  They 
were  therefore  called  'New  Lights.' 

"Barton  W.  Stone,  the  acknowledged  leader  of 
this  party,  renounced  the  doctrines  of  Calvinism  and 
proclaimed  on  every  side  that  Christ  died  for  all 
men,  and  that  all  can  be  saved  on  the  same  terms. 
He  and  his  party  also  urged  that  men  had  the  same 
ability  to  believe  as  to  disbelieve  in  Christ.  These 
and  other  doctrines  which  they  held  and  proclaimed 
were  in  direct  opposition  to  the  Confession  of  Faith; 
but  they  had  become  so  popular  that  the  church 
courts  for  awhile  were  afraid  to  deal  with  them.  But 
at  length  Richard  McNemar  was  summoned  before 
the  Springfield  Presbytery,  so  called  because  it  met 
in  Springfield,  Ohio,  and  the  following  specifications 
of  heresy  were  preferred  against  him : 

"  '1.  He  reprobated  the  idea  of  sinners  attempt- 
ing to  pray,  or  being  exhorted  thereto,  before  they 
were  believers  in  Christ. 

"  *2.  He  has  condemned  those  who  urge  that  con- 
victions are  necessary,  or  that  prayer  is  proper  in 
the  sinner. 

"  '3.  He  has  expressly  declared  at  several  times 
that  Christ  has  purchased  salvation  for  all  the  human 
race  without  distinction. 

"  *4.  He  has  expressly  declared  that  the  sinner 
has  power  to  believe  Christ  at  any  time. 

"  *5.  That  the  sinner  has  as  much  power  to  act 
faith  as  to  act  unbelief;  and  reprobated  every  idea 
in  contradiction  thereto,  held  by  persons  of  a  con- 
trary opinion. 

"  '6.  He  has  expressly  said  that  faith  consisted 
in  the  creature's  persuading  himself  assuredly  that 
Christ  died  for  him  in  particular ;  that  doubting  and 
examining  into  evidences  of  faith  were  inconsistent 
with  and  contrary  to  the  nature  of  faith;  and  in 
order  to  establish  these  sentiments,  he  explained 
away  these  words:     'Faith  is  the  gift  of  God,'  by 


The  Campbellian  Split — 1830  85 

saying  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  object  of  faith  there 
meant,  and  not  faith  itself,  and  also  these  words: 
'No  man  cometh  to  me  except  the  Father  who  sent 
me  draw  him,'  by  saying  that  the  drawing  there 
meant  was  Christ  offered  in  the  gospel,  and  that  the 
Father  knew  no  other  drawing,  or  higher  power  than 
holding  up  his  Son  in  the  gospel,' 

''Mr.  McNemar  acknowledged  that  he  held  these 
doctrines,  except  the  first  part  of  the  sixth  article. 
The  above  charges  will  give  the  reader  an  idea  of 
the  peculiar  views  at  that  time  held  by  the  'New 
Lights'! 

"From  the  Springfield  Presbytery,  the  case  was 
brought  before  the  Synod  at  Lexington,  Kentucky, 
in  the  fall  of  1803,  Stone  and  his  party  seeing  that 
the  decision  of  the  Presbytery  in  regard  to  McNemar 
would  be  sustained,  met  in  council,  drew  up  a  formal 
protest,  presented  it  to  the  Synod,  and  then  withdrew 
from  the  authority  of  that  body.  After  a  fruitless 
effort  to  bring  these  men  back  into  the  fold,  they 
solemnly  suspended  Barton  W.  Stone,  Richard  McNe- 
mar, Robert  Marshall,  John  Thompson  and  John 
Dunlevy,  and  declared  their  pulpits  vacant.  These 
men  formed  themselves  into  what  they  called  the 
'Springfield  Presbytery.'  'From  this  period,'  says 
Stone,  'I  date  the  commencement  of  that  reformation 
which  has  progressed  to  this  day.'  He  wrote  this 
in  1843. 

"Shortly  after  their  suspension  they  were  joined 
by  two  other  ministers,  Mathew  Houston  and  David 
Purviance.  In  June,  1804,  they  issued  a  document 
styled,  '  The  last  will  and  testament  of  the  Springfield 
Presbytery,'  in  which  they  set  forth  a  synopsis  of 
their  doctrines,  and  forever  dissolved  the  Presbytery. 
They  threw  away  all  creeds  and  adopted  the  simple 
name  Christian,  by  which  they  wished  to  be  desig- 
nated. They  urged  all  Christians  to  follow  their 
example,  to  emancipate  themselves  from  all  confes- 
sions of  faith  and  unite  with  them  on  the  Bible.  They 
were  progressive.     When  first  started  they  believed 


86         Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

in  infant  baptism,  and  that  sprinkling  was  the  proper 
act  of  baptism.  After  this  they  rejected  the  doctrine 
of  infant  baptism  and  proclaimed  immersion  as  the 
only  mode.  And  following  quick  upon  this  they  pro- 
mulgated the  dogma  of  baptism  for  the  remission  of 
sins. 

"When  they  united  with  the  reformation  in  1830 
their  number  is  not  known,  but  in  1812,  according 
to  Doctor  Benedict,  they  numbered  40  churches,  40 
ministers  and  about  5000  members. 

"Mr.  Stone  and  his  followers  held  many  views  in 
common  with  Mr.  Campbell;  in  fact  they  were  sub- 
stantially the  same,  and  consequently  he  and  his  ad- 
herents had  no  great  difficulty  in  effecting  with  them 
a  fundamental  union.  Although  they  originated  long 
before  Mr.  Campbell  developed  his  views,  yet  the  sub- 
stance of  the  Campbellite  theory  was  in  their  doc- 
trines, and  the  commencement  of  this  sect  may  well 
be  called  the  rise  of  the  Current  Kef ormation. " 

Thus  it  will  be  observed  that  Mr.  Stone  was  con- 
siderably in  advance  of  Mr.  Campbell  in  his  "Refor- 
mation"— Stone  dating  from  1803,  while  Campbell 
joined  the  Baptists  in  1812,  and  was  excluded  from 
Baptist  fellowship  1829. 

The  starting  of  the  Christian  Baptist  gave  Mr. 
Campbell  a  great  opportunity.  Quoting  again  from 
Memoirs  of  Wm.  Vaughan  (pp.  161,  162,  163)  : 

"Campbellism  now  began  to  assume  a  definite 
form.  All  over  Northern  and  Central  Kentucky  Mr. 
Campbell  had  his  adherents,  and  they  read,  as  de- 
voutly as  Moslem  ever  read  his  Koran,  the  Christian 
Baptist.  Week  after  week  it  paid  its  welcome  visits, 
bringing  light  and  comfort  and  joy.  Mr.  Campbell's 
interpretations  of  scripture  were  regarded  as  infall- 
ible, and  they  were  relied  upon  with  iinplicit  confi- 
dence. They  had  learned  a  new  speech,  no  longer 
speaking  the  language  of  Ashdod.  They  were  right, 
and  that  they  knew  full  well,  for  they  went  by  the 
'book.'  Half-grown  boys  and  girls  were  thoroughly 
imbued  with  the  spirit  of  the  Great  Reformer,  and 


The  Campbelliun  Split— 1830  87 

were  ready  at  all  times  to  discuss  with  you  the  pecu- 
liar doctrines  of  the  ancient  gospel.  The  veil  was 
lifted,  and  they  could  explain  anything  in  the 
Bible 

"The  friends  of  Mr.  Campbell  were  very  busy  in 
the  dissemination  of  their  principles.  From  the  great 
leader  at  Bethany  to  the  boy  of  fifteen  summers  there 
was  unceasing  activity.  Every  one  of  them  was  full 
of  light  and  knowledge,  and  their  hearts  burned 
within  them  to  communicate  their  doctrines  to  others. 
Whenever  an  opportunity  presented  itself,  either  in 
public  or  in  private,  they  were  discussing  the  topics 
suggested  and  developed  in  the  Christian  Baptist. 
They  were  as  strong  as  Samson,  who  slew  a  thou- 
sand Philistines  with  the  jaw-bone  of  an  ass;  they 
felt  that  one  could  chase  a  thousand  and  two  could 
put  ten  thousand  to  flight. 

"Their  numbers  increased,  and  some  were  found 
in  almost  every  Baptist  Church  in  the  state,  at  least 
in  Northern  and  Central  Kentucky.  The  turbulent 
and  disaffected  were  drawn  into  their  ranks,  also 
many  amiable  and  excellent  people,  who  had  not 
given  the  subject  a  thorough  investigation,  or  who, 
from  the  ambiguity  of  Mr,  Campbell's  position,  were 
unable  to  distinguish  between  truth  and  error.  Camp- 
bellism  raged  like  an  epidemic  in  many  parts  of  the 
country.  The  people  were  wild.  There  was  strife 
and  discord  in  the  churches.  Bitter  feelings  were 
engendered  and  hostile  parties  were  arrayed  one 
against  the  other.  The  humble,  pious,  peace-loving 
members  mourned  over  the  desolations  of  Zion,  and 
by  the  rivers  of  Babylon  they  sat  down  and  wept. 
Such  men  as  Walter  Warder,  William  Warder,  Silas 
M.  Noel,  John  Taylor  and  John  S.  Wilson  saw  the 
evils  that  beset  our  churches,  but  they  wept  and  lab- 
ored on.  They  saw  the  storm  that  was  gathering — 
they  felt  that  the  danger  was  imminent — but  they 
hardly  knew  what  to  do.  They  did  not  see  how  they 
could  beat  back  the  tide  that  seemed  to  be  sweeping 
all  before  it.     They  appeared  to  be  paralyzed,  and 


88  Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

especially  was  this  the  case  with  Walter  Warder  and 
Jeremiah  Vardeman,  They  thought  it  would  be  more 
prudent  to  modify  and  direct  the  course  of  the  Refor- 
mation than  to  give  it  a  direct  and  decided  opposi- 
tion  

''They  prayed  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem  and  for 
a  season  of  refreshing  from  on  high.  They  had  waited 
long  for  a  blessing,  and  at  length  God  heard  their 
prayer  and  the  revival  began.  In  the  fall  of  1827 
the  good  work  commenced.  Ministers  preached  with 
unusual  fervency  and  power  and  the  people  listened 
with  deep  interest,  and  large  congregations  assembled 
everywhere  to  hear  the  gospel.  In  the  following  win- 
ter and  spring  there  were  large  additions  to  the 
churches.  The  brethren  were  so  much  absorbed  in 
the  revival,  so  overjoyed  on  account  of  the  success 
of  the  gospel,  that  the  Campbellite  controversy  was 
forgotten  for  a  season.  All  over  the  state  there  was 
a  glorious  work  of  grace — such  a  revival  as  had  not 
been  witnessed  since  the  great  awakening  of  1803. 
The  Reformers  who  were  still  in  the  Baptist  churches 
labored  hard  to  bring  over  the  young  converts  to 
their  peculiar  views.  Shortly  after  their  conversion, 
and  while  their  hearts  were  warm  and  tender  and 
easy  impressed,  they  used  every  effort  to  instill  their 
notions  into  their  young  minds.  The  older  ministers 
were  unsuspecting  and  off  their  guard,  and  before 
they  were  aware  of  it  many  had  embraced  the  doc- 
trine of  Mr.  Campbell.  While  the  Presbyterians  were 
the  sufferers  in  the  revival  of  1803,  the  Baptists  were 
the  especial  sufferers  in  the  revival  of  1827-28."  In 
the  life  of  T.  J.  Fisher,  (p.  56)  by  Spencer  is  this 
statement:  "The  germ  of  what  is  now  known  as 
Campbellism  was  published  in  a  series  of  letters, 
addressed  by  Robert  Sandeman,  of  Perth,  Scotland, 
to  Mr.  Hervey,  about  A.  D.  1757.  He  claimed  that 
'justifying  faith'  is  'the  bare  belief  of  the  bare  truth'. 
His  system  is  known  in  England  as  '  Sandemanian- 
ism'.  In  his  writings  he  was  exceedingly  bitter 
against  all  opposing  doctrines,  and  particularly  bit- 


The  Campbellian  Split — 1830  89 

ter  and  sarcastic  in  writing  against  the  ministers  of 
the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  He  spent  the  last  seven  years 
of  his  life  in  New  England,  where,  after  organizing 
a  few  small  societies,  he  died,  at  Danbury,  Connecti- 
cut, A.  D.  1771.  His  doctrines  seemed  to  die  with 
him.  But  near  A.  D.  1800,  Barton  W.  Stone  (and 
others)  began,  in  a  confused  manner,  to  hold  forth 
the  doctrine  of  Sandemanianism ;  but,  being  unsuited 
for  the  work  of  a  reformer,  he  made  little  progress, 
until  Mr.  Campbell,  in  his  rapid  changes  from  Hyper- 
calvinism  to  the  extreme  of  modern  Arminianism, 
embraced  Mr.  Stone's  doctrine,  and  added  to  it  the 
doctrine  that  'baptism  is  essential  to  salvation.'  " 

The  heart  of  Campbellism  is  given  in  the  follow- 
ing quotations.  Dr.  J.  B.  Jeter  in  his  "Campbellism 
Examined  and  Re-examined"  (p.  193),  quotes  from 
Campbell's  "Christian  System"  (p.  233),  the  follow- 
which  is  the  very  heart  of  Campbellism : 

"  'There  are  three  births,  three  kingdoms,  and 
three  salvations.  One  from  the  womb  of  our  first 
mother,  one  from  the  water,  and  one  from  the  grave. 
We  enter  a  new  world  on,  and  not  before  each  birth. 
The  present  animal  life,  at  the  first  birth;  the  spir- 
itual, or  the  life  of  God  in  our  souls,  at  the  second 
birth ;  and  the  life  eternal  in  the  presence  of  God,  at 
the  third  birth.  And  he  who  dreams  of  entering  the 
second  kingdom,  or  coming  under  the  dominion  of 
Jesus  without  the  second  birth,  may,  to  complete  his 
error,  dream  of  entering  the  kingdom  of  glory  with- 
out a  resurrection  from  the  dead.'  " 

Then  again  (page  196)  Dr.  Jeter  quotes  from 
' '  Christian  System ' '  as  follows :  "  '  Whatever  the 
act  of  faith  may  be,  it  necessarily  becomes  the  line 
of  discrimination  between  the  two  states  before  de- 
scribed. On  this  side,  and  on  that  mankind  are  in 
quite  different  states.  On  the  one  side,  they  are 
pardoned,  justified,  sanctified,  reconciled,  adopted, 
and  saved;  on  the  other,  they  are  in  a  state  of  con- 
demnation. This  act  is  sometimes  called  immersion, 
regeneration,  conversion, '  '  Christian  System, ' '  p.  193. 


90  Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

'These  expressions,'  (immersed,  converted,  regener- 
ated), 'in  the  apostle's  style,  denote  the  same  act,' 
p,  203.  'For  if  immersion  be  equivalent  to  regenera- 
tion, and  regeneration  be  of  the  same  import  with 
being  born  again,  then  being  born  again  and  being 
immersed,  are  the  same  thing.'  p.  200."  Also  page 
194,  "Campbellism  Examined  and  Re-examined" 
quoting  "Christian  System"  p.  202.  "The  Holy 
Spirit  calls  nothing  personal  regeneration  except  the 
act  of  immersion." 

It  will  be  seen  that  Mr.  Campbell  in  these  state- 
ments does  not  teach  baptismal  regeneration.  That 
is,  he  does  not  teach  that  regeneration  takes  place  in 
connection  with  the  act  of  baptism,  but  that  baptism 
is  itself  regeneration.  There  can  be  no  mistaking  his 
language  here.  So  baptism  is  not  the  condition,  nor 
a  condition  of  regeneration,  but  is  itself  regeneration, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  calls  nothing  else  regeneration. 
That's  simon  pure  Campbellism — "Be  dipped  or  be 
damned. ' ' 

The  separation  between  the  Baptists  and  the  "Re- 
formers" in  Baptist  Churches  now  began.  The  best 
account  we  have  found  of  this  separation  is  given 
in  the  Memoirs  of  Wm.  Vaughn  (page  170  ff)  as 
follows : 

"Alexander  Campbell,  when  he  withdrew  from 
the  Redstone  Association,  united  with  the  Mahoning 
Association,  of  Ohio.  Through  his  influence  that  body 
became  thoroughly  imbued  with  the  doctrines  of  the 
Reformation,  and  on  that  account  the  Beaver  Asso- 
ciation, of  Pennsylvania,  in  August,  1829,  withdrew 
from  her  all  fellowship  on  the  ground  that  she  had 
departed  from  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  gos- 
pel. A  copy  of  these  resolutions  was  sent  to  Rev.  Silas 
M.  Noel,  D.  D.,  of  Frankfort,  Kentucky,  and  the 
church  at  that  place  immediately  sent  up  a  request  to 
the  Franklin  Association,  which  was  about  to  assem- 
ble at  the  Forks  of  Elkhorn  meeting-house,  in  Wood- 
ford county,  that  the  charges  of  Beaver  against  the 
Reformers  should  be  indorsed  and  published  by  the 


The  Campbellian  Split— 1830  91 

association.  Franklin,  after  due  consideration,  not 
only  complied  with  the  request,  but  advised  all  the 
churches  in  her  connection  to  follow  the  course  pur- 
sued by  the  Beaver  Association  and  discountenance 
the  errors  of  Campbellism.  These  errors  and  corrup- 
tions were  set  forth  in  the  following  terms : 

"  '1.     They,  the  Reformers,  maintain  that  there  is 
no  promise  of  salvation  without  baptism. 

"  *2.  That  baptism  should  be  administered  to  all 
who  say  that  they  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God, 
without  examination  on  any  other  point. 

''  '3.  That  there  is  no  direct  operation  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  on  the  mind  prior  to  baptism. 

''  '4.  That  baptism  procures  the  remission  of 
sins  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

"  '5.  That  the  Scriptures  are  the  only  evidence 
of  interest  in  Christ. 

"  '6.  That  obedience  places  it  in  God's  power  to 
elect  to  salvation. 

''  '7.  That  no  creed  is  necessary  for  the  church 
but  the  Scriptures  as  they  stand ;   and, 

"  '8.  That  all  baptized  persons  have  the  right  to 
administer  the  ordinance  of  baptism.'  " 

''These  resolutions  were  sent  to  the  South  Benson 
Church,  Franklin  County,  Kentucky,  where  there 
was  a  considerable  party  in  favor  of  Mr.  Campbell, 
and  after  a  lengthy  discussion  between  George  Wal- 
ler on  the  one  side  and  Jacob  Creath,  Sr.,  on  the  other, 
they  were  spread  upon  the  records  of  the  church.  The 
minority  was  so  much  incensed  by  this  action  that 
they  met  and,  with  the  assistance  of  Jacob  Creath,  Sr., 
and  his  nephew,  Jacob  Creath,  Jr.,  constituted  them- 
selves into  another  church.  The  majority,  regarding 
this  matter  as  schismatic,  at  their  regular  meeting  in 
February,  1830,  unanimously  excluded  them  from  the 
Baptist  Church  at  South  Benson. 

"The  work  of  separation  had  begun  in  earnest.  A 
called  meeting  of  the  North  District  Association  was 
held  at  Lulbegrud,  Montgomery  County,  and  Thomas 
Boone  was  chosen  moderator.     A  committee  was  ap- 


92  Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

pointed  to  examine  the  records,  correspondence, 
decisions  and  reports  of  the  North  District  Associa- 
tion from  the  day  of  its  constitution,  in  1802,  to  its 
last  session  at  Unity  in  1829,  and  to  report  such 
results  as  they  might  deem  to  be  of  interest  to  the 
council.  In  due  time  the  committee  made  the  re- 
quired examination  and  reported  in  substance  as 
follows : 

"  '1.  That  the  constitution  of  the  North  District 
Association  makes  it  the  duty  of  the  association  to 
have  a  watch  care  over  the  churches  and  gives  it  the 
right  to  withdraw  from  such  as  act  disorderly. 

"  '2.  That  the  association  exercised  this  watch 
care  over  both  churches  and  preachers  until  their 
session  at  Cane  Spring,  in  1827. 

"  *3.  They  find  that  at  that  association,  Lulbe- 
grud  complained  of  a  new  mode  of  breaking  the  bread 
when  administering  and  receiving  the  Lord 's  Supper ; 
but  the  association  neglected  to  notice  the  conduct  of 
such  churches. 

"  '4.  They  find  also  that  in  the  year  of  1829, 
Goshen  complains  to  the  association  of  new  forms  of 
words  adopted  and  used  in  the  administration  of  bap- 
tism, etc. ;  and  yet,  though  the  church  requested  it, 
no  attention  was  paid  to  the  request. 

"  *5.  They  find  also  that  Cane  Spring  com- 
plained to  the  association,  in  the  same  year,  and  no 
attention  was  paid  to  her  complaint. 

"  '6.  In  1829,  Lulbegrud  again  complains  that  in 
consequence  of  changes  taking  place  among  the 
churches,  respecting  the  administering  and  receiving 
of  the  Lord's  Supper  and  other  matters,  she  should 
not  commune;  and  yet  no  attention  was  paid  to  her 
complaint.' 

"This  meeting  then  adjourned  to  meet  at  Goshen 
on  the  fourth  Saturday  in  June  following.  Elder 
David  Chenault  was  elected  moderator  and  James 
French,  clerk.  The  following  questions  were  then 
raised  and  promptly  answered. 

"   '1.     Has    North    District,    by    abandoning   the 


The  Camphellian  Split — 1830  93 

supervisorship  of  the  churches  and  preachers,  de- 
parted from  its  constitution  t  Answered  in  the  affirm- 
ative. 

"  *2.  Has  a  church,  that  takes  upon  itself  the 
right  to  introduce  and  practice  usages,  unknown 
among  the  churches  of  Elkhorn  and  South  Kentucky- 
Associations  at  the  time  of  their  union,  departed  from 
the  constitution  and  gone  out  of  the  union  ?  Answered 
in  the  affirmative. 

**  'Our  reasons,'  said  they,  'for  deciding  that 
North  District  Association  has  departed  from  its  con- 
stitution are  contained  in  the  proceedings  of  the  meet- 
ing at  Lulbegrud  in  April  last.  In  point  of  doctrine 
these  departures  from  what  was  believed  in  the 
churches  of  either  Elkhorn  or  South  Kentucky  Asso- 
ciation, at  the  time  of  their  union,  are  so  entire  that 
to  attempt  an  illustration  throughout  would  be  too 
long  and  tedious  a  writing.  They  even  deny  the 
special  operation  of  the  Spirit  in  quickening  the  dead 
sinner.  And  by  way  of  ridicule  they  ask:  "Where 
did  the  Spirit  hit  you?  Was  it  on  the  shoulder  or 
under  the  fifth  rib?" 

"  'As  to  departures  from  church  usage,  they  are 
so  general  that  if  any  one  thing  in  church  customs,  as 
practiced  in  the  churches  of  Elkhorn  and  South  Ken- 
tucky Associations,  at  the  time  of  their  union,  remains 
unchanged,  we  know  not  what  it  is.  Constituting 
churches,  ordaining  preachers,  eating  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, words  of  baptism,  the  action  of  putting  under 
the  water  in  baptism — all  are  varied.  Can  it  be 
thought  strange  that  these  innovations,  all  beating  on 
the  churches  at  once,  should  produce  distress,  con- 
fusion and  schisms.' 

"We  have  not  the  space  to  give  all  these  proceed- 
ings at  length,  but  before  they  adjourned,  by  resolu- 
tion they  declared  themselves  withdrawn  from  all 
churches  that  had  departed,  as  before  alleged;  but 
that  their  fellowship  was  not  to  be  considered  broken 
with  their  ministers  or  individual  members  who  were 
content  with  the  former  usages  of  the  churches. 


94         Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

''The  course  pursued  by  the  North  District  Asso- 
ciation was  soon  followed  by  other  associations. 
Franklin  took  decided  ^ound  against  the  innovations 
of  the  Reformers.  Mr.  Noel  presented  a  circular  let- 
ter, from  which  we  make  the  following  extract : 

"  'As  an  association  we  shall  deem  it  our  duty  to 
drop  correspondence  with  any  and  every  association 
or  church  where  this  heresy  is  tolerated.  Those  who 
say  they  are  not  Campbellites,  and  yet  countenance 
and  circulate  his  little  pamphlets,  are  insincere — they 
are  to  be  avoided.  When  they  say  they  are  perse- 
cuted because  they  "will  not  swallow  the  Philadel- 
phia Confession  of  Faith,"  you  are  not  to  believe  it, 
for  no  church  has  called  one  of  them  in  question  on 
that  point,  so  far  as  we  know.  It  is  not  so  much  their 
objection  to  this  book  as  our  objection  to  their  con- 
fession of  faith  that  makes  the  difference.' 

"This  letter  was  adopted  by  the  association  and 
ordered  to  be  printed  and  circulated  among  the 
churches  of  that  body. 

"Elkhorn  next  showed  herself  true  to  'the  faith 
once  delivered  unto  the  saints.'  She  met  on  the  sec- 
ond Saturday  in  August,  1830,  with  the  church  at 
Silas,  Bourbon  County,  and,  after  much  violent  oppo- 
sition on  the  part  of  the  Campbellites,  adopted  the 
following  resolutions : 

"  '1.  That  the  church  at  Versailles  be  dropped 
from  further  correspondence  with  this  association,  for 
non-conformity  to  the  rules,  and  for  receiving  into 
her  membership  a  preacher,  Jacob  Creath,  Jr.,  who  in 
faith  and  practice  departed  from  her  constitution, 
and  who  has  taken  part  in  constituting  minorities  who 
also  have  thus  departed.' 

"North  District  Association  had  split  in  twain, 
and  each  party  was  present  with  letters  and  messen- 
gers, and  each  one  claiming  to  be  the  legitimate  body. 
John  Smith  represented  the  Campbellites,  and  Reu- 
ben McDonald  and  others  the  Orthodox  party. 

"The  question  now  arose:  'Which  body  of  Bap- 
tists shall  be  recognized  by  Elkhorn  as  the  North  Dis- 


The  Camphellian  Split~1830  95 

trict  Association  ? '  Smith  fought  hard  for  a  seat,  but 
the  association  adopted  the  following  resolutions : 

"  'Whereas,  it  appears  that  two  communications 
from  North  District  have  been  sent  to  this  association, 
showing  that  a  split  has  taken  place  in  that  body ; 

"  ^Resolved,  Therefore,  that  the  ten  churches, 
which  met  in  council  at  Goshen  meeting  house,  on  the 
fourth  Saturday  in  June,  1830,  and  in  their  minutes 
declare  that  the  rest  of  the  churches  have  departed 
from  her  constitution  in  faith  and  practice,  be  recog- 
nized as  the  North  District  Association,  and  that  our 
correspondence  be  continued  with  them  as  heretofore. ' 

"Then  followed  the  meeting  of  the  Tate's  Creek 
Association,  which  occurred  on  the  fourth  Saturday 
in  August,  1830.  The  messengers  composing  this 
body  unanimously  resolved  to  withdraw  all  fellow- 
ship from  every  church  and  association  that  favored 
the  Campbellite  heresy. 

*' Within  the  Bracken  Association  matters  had 
come  to  a  crisis.  May's  Lick  Church  was  in  confu- 
sion. The  members  of  this  body  who  adhered  to  the 
grand  old  doctrines  of  the  gospel  determined  that 
they  would  withdraw  from  the  adherents  of  Mr. 
Campbell.  They  accordingly  drew  up  and  published 
the  following  resolution  and  protest,  and  thus  com- 
pelled every  one  to  show  his  colors : 

"  'Our  church  being  in  a  state  of  painful  confu- 
sion, resulting  from  attempts  by  Alexander  Campbell 
and  others  to  produce  a  reformation  in  society,  as 
they  have  been  in  the  habit  of  calling  it — among  other 
things  denying  the  direct  influence  of  the  Spirit  until 
after  baptism,  contending  that  persons  professing 
faith  in  Christ  shall  be  baptized,  for  the  purpose  of 
actually  receiving  forgiveness  of  sins — denying  and 
rather,  ridiculing  what  we  call  Christian  experience, 
in  part  at  least,  namely,  a  burdened  heart  on  account 
of  sin,  and  sensible  manifestation  of  God's  pardoning 
mercy  by  faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ :  Slandering  the 
Baptist  society  by  saying  that  they  are  in  Babylon — 
against  which  sentiments,  and  many  others  referred 


96  Kentuckij  Baptist  History— 1770-1932 

to  by  them,  we  solemnly  protest ;  also  against  the  con- 
duet  of  the  Campbells,  Creaths,  Smiths  and  others, 
who,  in  May,  undertook  to  administer  the  Supper  in 
our  meeting  house — a  number  of  our  brethren  joining 
in  that  thing  without  the  authority  of  the  church — 
some,  likely,  without  thinking  of  the  wounds  they 
were  bringing  on  their  brethren.  Our  brethren,  a 
number  of  them,  also,  have  been  encouraging  preachers 
to  occupy  our  meeting  house  that  many  of  us  believe 
to  be  Arians,  knowing  they  were  trampling  on  our 
feelings,  which  we  conceive  to  be  contrary  to  good 
order.  We  have  made  every  effort  to  place  them  and 
us  on  ground  that  we  can  live  in  some  degree  of 
peace,  but  in  vain ;  and  we  are  now  compelled  to  adopt 
the  following  resolution : 

"  'That  all  of  us  whose  names  are  hereunto  sub- 
scribed, protesting  as  above  named  against  the  Refor- 
mation (falsely  so  called),  are  willing  and  determined 
to  rally  around  the  original  constitution  and  covenant 
of  the  church,  which  has  never  been  disannulled — asso- 
ciating them  with  the  principles  of  the  union  between 
the  Regular  and  Separate  Baptists — which  were 
adopted  by  the  Elkhorn  Association  when  this  church 
was  a  member  of  that  body,  and  according  to  which 
we  have  acted  ever  since,  which  is  a  fact  as  relates  to 
Baptists  generally,  thereby  occupying  precisely  the 
same  ground  we  did  before  the  confused  and  confus- 
ing system  of  things  that  has  destroyed  our  peace  and 
the  peace  of  many  other  churches  among  us,  and  that 
no  person  shall  be  considered  a  member  of  this  church 
who  will  refuse  to  acknowledge  the  above  by  subscrib- 
ing their  names,  or  causing  them  to  be  subscribed,  or 
who  will  encourage  the  above-named  Reformers.'  " 

Thus  the  split  occurred  in  the  May 's  Lick  Church ; 
and  Bethel,  within  the  same  association,  also  divided. 
The  Bracken  Association  met  in  Washington,  Mason 
County,  on  the  first  Saturday  in  September,  1830. 
This  was  one  of  great  interest  to  both  parties.  The 
Reformers  had  been  so  active  and  busy  that  to  a 
casual  observer  they  seemed  to  be  greatly  in  the  ma- 


The  Camphellian  Split— 1830  97 

jority.  They  were  very  anxious  to  remain  in  the 
denomination  and  control  it.  The  period  had  now 
arrived  when  their  comparative  strength  could  be 
tested  in  the  Bracken  Association.  When  the  ballots 
for  moderator  were  counted  Mr.  Vaughan  was 
declared  elected.  This  was  a  test  vote.  And  showed 
that  the  strength  of  the  denomination  still  adhered  to 
the  ancient  landmarks. 

"Each  party  in  the  May's  Lick  Church  presented 
a  letter,  each  claiming  to  be  the  church ;  and  so  did 
the  two  parties  of  the  Bethel  Church.  In  regard  to 
them  the  association  made  the  following  decision : 

"  '1.  The  church  at  May's  Lick  having  divided, 
and  each  party  presenting  letters  to  the  Association, 
claiming  to  be  the  original  church; 

"  ^Resolved,  That  the  majority  be  recognized  as 
such;  the  minority  having  embraced  a  system  of 
things  called  Reformation,  thereby  departing  from 
the  principles  of  the  United  Baptists  in  Kentucky 
and  of  the  Association. 

"  '2.  Two  letters  also  having  been  received  from 
the  church  at  Bethel,  both  claiming  to  be  the  original 
church,  and  it  appearing  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
association  that  the  majority  of  the  church  have  de- 
parted from  the  original  principles  of  the  United 
Baptists  and  of  this  association ; 

"  'Resolved,  Therefore,  that  the  minority  be  rec- 
ognized as  the  church.'  " 

The  above  is  a  very  vivid  account  of  the  struggle 
through  which  our  brethren  passed  in  freeing  the 
churches  from  Campbellism. 

In  one  case  it  is  the  majority  that  is  right  and  in 
the  other  it  is  the  minority.  In  his  history  of  Frank- 
lin Association,  Spencer  says,  "In  1830,  the  Camp- 
bellite  schism  was  consummated  in  this  and  all  the 
surrounding  fraternities"  (Vol.  II,  p.  291).  This 
fixes  the  date  of  the  Campbelliau  split. 

' '  Raccoon ' '  John  Smith,  a  conspicuous  follower  of 
Mr.  Campbell,  and  a  man  of  unusual  native  ability, 
made  it  his  business  to  visit  the  association  of  North- 

10 


98         Kentucky  Baptist  Histori/— 1770-1922 

ern  and  Central  Kentucky  and  oppose  with  all  of  his 
powers  the  separation  when  it  was  suggested. 

Perhaps  the  reason  for  the  strenuous  opposition  of 
the  Campbellites  to  being  separated  from  the  Baptists 
was  a  feeling  that  they  could  make  proselytes  faster 
being  on  the  inside  than  they  could  being  on  the  out- 
side. And,  too,  they  may  have  felt  that  by  holding  off 
the  separation  for  a  while  they  would  have  a  majority 
in  practically  all  the  churches  and  thus  exclude  the 
minority  and  take  possession  of  the  property,  as  they 
did  in  a  few  cases  where  they  had  the  majority.  The 
Baptists  had  to  force  the  separation,  and  it  would 
have  been  better  for  their  cause  had  they  forced  it 
several  years  earlier. 

Campbellism  is  strong  as  a  proselyting  force,  but 
weak  as  an  evangelizing  force.  Perhaps  their  great 
decline  in  membership  within  the  last  few  years  is 
due  to  the  fact  that  they  have  largely  abandoned  the 
proselyting  method.  For  the  first  half  cntury  of  its 
existence  Campbellism  was  almost  wholly  an  ecclesias- 
tical parasite.  They  built  themselves  up  by  tearing 
down  others. 

The  Rev.  W.  C.  Taylor,  in  his  Biography  of  Elder 
Alfred  Taylor  (p.  51)  says,  in  speaking  of  "a  most 
fearful  church  trial"  in  Green  River  Church,  that 
"Troubles  never  come  single-handed.  The  wounds  of 
internal  dissension  are  not  healed  until  that  system 
come  along  which  thrives  best  where  there  is  the  least 
vital  religion.  I  refer  to  Campbellism.  History 
abundantly  testifies  to  this.  Where  a  church  is  at  peace 
and  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  fruits  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
Campbellism  is  powerless  to  aifect  it  for  evil.  But 
let  a  church  become  involved  in  petty  strife  and  dis- 
sensions and  there  you  will  find  the  devil's  prelude 
for  the  introduction  of  Campbellism.  Thus  it  was  at 
Green  River.  Satanic  power  having  opened  the  way 
in  the  previous  alienation,  a  son  of  A.  Campbell 
enters  in  and  proposes  to  complete  the  work  of  disin- 
tegration and  destruction  so  effectually  begun.  Here 
they  concentrated  the  Campbellite  forces  of  the  Green 


The  Camphellian  Split— 1830  99 

River  country.  Finding  some  material  suited  to  their 
building  they  proceeded  with  its  erection.  After  their 
utmost  efforts  to  ruin  the  church  of  God  at  Green 
River,  they  could  only  boast  of  having  'stolen  eight 
fat  wethers  from  the  Baptists.'  As  Paul  contended 
with  beasts  at  Ephesus  so  did  Alfred  Taylor  at  Green 
River. ' '    This  is  Campbellism  in  its  beginning. 

Another  reason  perhaps,  for  their  declension  is  the 
fact  that  the  disciples  of  Mr.  Campbell  have  aban- 
doned practically  everything  that  Mr.  Campbell 
brought  in  as  a  "Reformation."  None  of  their  edu- 
cated ministers  today  will  preach  straight  Campbell- 
ism— "Be  dipped  or  be  damned,"  or  "The  acceptance 
of  one  fact  and  the  performance  of  one  act  procures 
salvation,"  or  "The  act  of  immersion  is  itself  regen- 
eration"; nor  will  they  ridicule  the  operation  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  They  have  also  given  up  the  name 
"Christian  Church"  and  accepted  as  their  official 
title,  ' '  Disciples  of  Christ. ' '  They  no  longer  have  any 
proselyting  plea ;  nor  have  they  any  excuse  for  their 
separate  existence,  as  they  hold  and  teach  nothing 
that  is  not  taught  by  others  with  priority  in  their  cor- 
porate existence. 


CHAPTER  IX 

The  Anti-Mission  Split— 1832  to  1842 

Kentucky  has  long  been  known  as  the  "dark  and 
bloody  ground."  She  has  been  the  storm  center  of 
controversy;  the  battlefield  of  many  jarring  opinions 
and  conflicting  doctrines.  The  anti-mission  spirit 
flourished  for  a  time  in  Kentucky's  fruitful  soil.  In 
this  chapter  it  is  the  author's  purpose  to  give  a  some- 
what brief  account  of  the  rise,  progress  and  decline  of 
anti-missionism  in  Kentucky. 

Dr.  Albert  Henry  NcAvman  in  his  "Introduction" 
to  "The  Genesis  of  American  Anti-missionism"  by 
Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll,  Jr.,  says,  (p.  3). 

"A  connected  and  somewhat  exhaustive  account  of 
the  anti-missionary  movement  that  resulted  from  the 
pressing  of  foreign  mission,  home  mission,  Sunday 
school,  educational,  and  other  forms  of  organized 
denominational  work  under  the  auspices  of  the  Trien- 
nial Convention,  with  Luther  Rice  as  its  chief  agent, 
and  Judson's  work  in  Burma  as  its  chief  inspiration, 
has  long  been  a  desideratum.  The  strength  of  the 
opposition  throughout  the  South  and  the  Southwest 
to  the  work  of  the  Triennial  Convention  during  the 
third  and  fourth  decades  of  the  nineteenth  century 
may  be  illustrated  by  the  following  facts :  During  the 
first  four  or  five  yeai'S  after  the  organization  of  the 
Triennial  Connvention  (1814),  the  Baptist  churches  of 
Tennessee  were  nearly  all  friendly  to  the  foreign  mis- 
sion cause  and  contributed  toward  its  funds.  Within 
a  few  years  all  the  missionary  societies  that  had  been 
formed  for  co-operation  with  the  Triennial  Convention 
were  dissolved  and  the  association  rescinded  the  reso- 
lutions that  had  been  passed  in  favor  of  missions  and 
related  departments  of  denominational  work.  In 
Georgia    and    Alabama    a     life-and-death    struggle 

100 


The  Anti-Mission  Splii—1832  to  1842       101 

between  the  friends  of  missions  and  co-operative  work 
and  the  malignant  enemies  of  missions  raged  for 
years,  and  the  issue,  apart  from  firm  faith  in  the  God 
of  missions,  might  well  have  seemed  doubtful.  As 
late  as  1845  twelve  of  the  thirty-four  Virginia  asso- 
ciations, including  the  old  Ketokton,  were  aggress- 
ively anti-missionary.  Equally  successful  was  the 
anti-missionary  propaganda  in  Kentucky.  Ohio, 
where  Alexander  Campbell's  influence  was  great,  and 
the  writings  of  Daniel  Parker  and  John  Taylor  were 
circulated,  was  an  equally  fruitful  field  for  the  anti- 
missionary  propaganda.  In  1820  the  Ohio  Baptist 
churches  had  contributed  $547.09  for  foreign  missions. 
From  1821  to  1828  contributions  ceased  entirely, 
while  the  contributions  in  1829  and  1830  were  $10 
and  $5  respectively.  The  wonderful  success  of  the 
opponents  of  missions  from  1820  to  1840  needs  to  be 
explained,  and  Doctor  Carroll  has  performed  a  ser- 
vice of  great  value  in  bringing  together  from  rare 
sources  a  large  amount  of  material  illustrative  of  the 
spirit  and  the  methods  of  the  opposition  to  organized 
missionary  work.  He  has  made  effective  use  of  the 
scarce  writings  of  Daniel  Parker  and  John  Taylor, 
and  has  demonstrated  more  fully  than  any  earlier 
writer  the  contribution  of  Alexander  Campbell  to  the 
anti-missionary  movement."  Doctor  Newman's  state- 
ment is  very  comprehensive. 

Early  Baptists  in  Kentucky  All  Missionary  in 
Spirit  and  Practice 

Those  who  think  that  the  ''Old  Baptists"  or 
"Primitive  Baptists"  because  of  their  ancient  sound- 
ing names  are  the  original  Baptists  would  do  well  to 
read  history.  Spencer  (Vol.  I,  p.  570)  says  "Pre- 
vious to  1816,  there  was  not  an  Anti-mission  Baptist 
in  Kentucky,  so  far  as  known.  In  every  association, 
where  a  missionary  enterprise  was  proposed,  it  met 
with  universal  favor."  A  long  account  is  given  by 
Spencer  showing  that  the  early  churches,  and  asso- 
ciations of  Kentucky  sent  missionaries  to  Tennessee, 


102       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

Ohio,  Indiana  and  to  the  Indians,  paying  them  for 
their  services,  the  amount  paid,  in  one  case,  being 
named. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact,  too,  that  history  records 
that  one  of  the  men  who  afterwards  became  a  leader 
of  the  anti-mission  forces,  went  to  Tennessee  as  mis- 
sionary in  1791,  Here  are  the  facts  as  given  by 
Spencer  (Vol.  I,  p.  570).  "In  the  early  period  of  the 
first  churches,  planted  on  the  soil  of  Kentucky,  mis- 
sionaries were  sent  to  the  surrounding  country.  The 
oldest  church  in  what  was  then  called  West  (now 
Middle)  Tennessee,  was  constituted  by  Ambrose 
Dudley  and  John  Taylor.  These  ministers  in  1791 
traveled  through  a  wilderness,  on  horseback,  nearly 
two  hundred  miles,  where  they  were  constantly  ex- 
posed to  destruction  by  the  Indians,  to  establish  the 
Redeemer's  cause  in  this  remote  settlement.  John 
Sutton  and  James  Sutton  were  afterwards  sent,  in 
turn,  by  Elkhorn  Association,  to  minister  to  this 
church,  and  the  Moderator  was  directed  to  pay  them 
£13,  12s,  8d,  for  this  service'.'  These  missionaries 
were  ''sent"  and  ''paid"  for  their  services. 

As  sad  as  it  is  to  record  the  fact,  from  this  time 
on  in  this  chapter,  we  find  John  Taylor  one  of  the 
most  successful  leaders  of  the  anti-mission  forces. 

The  formal  separation  between  the  Missionaries 
and  Anti-missionaries  took  place  within  the  decade 
between  1832  and  1842.  The  anti-mission  spirit  was 
manifested  in  some  of  the  associations  prior  to  1830 
but  not  one  had  declared  itself  anti-mission.  The 
date  usually  accepted  as  the  beginning  of  "the  split" 
is  1832.  Dr.  W.  P.  Throgmorton  in  his  debate  with 
Elder  Lemuel  Potter,  Hardshell,  held  in  Fulton,  Ken- 
tucky, July  1887,  takes  this  position.  (Throgmorton- 
Potter  Debate). 

Much  of  this  chapter  is  taken  from  Chapter  III, 
"The  Rise  of  the  Hardshells"  in  "The  Genesis  of 
American  Anti-Missionism, "  by  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll, 
Jr.  Doctor  Carroll  says,  "The  leaders  against  mis- 
sions have  been  many.     The  opposition  against  mis- 


The  Anti-Mission  Split— 1832  to  1842       103 

sions  has  been  one,  in  origin,  progress,  argument,  and 
spirit,  although  hydra-headed  in  its  various  forms 
of  manifestation.  It  is  the  purpose  of  this  chapter 
to  ascertain  its  genesis  and  trace  and  demonstrate  its 
unity  through  its  varying  forms.  Every  great  move- 
ment is  to  a  large  extent  identified  with  its  leaders. 
The  biographical  method  is  the  true  one  by  which  to 
study  history.  We  therefore  present  some  accounts 
of  the  three  great  leaders  in  the  anti-mission  crusade. 
....  The  three  leaders  were  John  Taylor,  of  Ken- 
tucky; Daniel  Parker,  of  Illinois;  and  Alexander 
Campbell,  of  Virginia.  Mr.  Campbell  has  not  usually 
been  given  credit  for  his  part  in  the  rise  and  progress 
of  anti-missions. 

John  Taylor  was  an  earnest,  consecrated,  self- 
sacrificing  and  conscientious  minister  of  the  gospel, 
and  one  time  a  thorough  missionary,  as  we  have 
shown.  No  man  can  read  the  account  of  his  conver- 
sion, or  the  story  of  his  efforts  to  evangelize  Kentucky 
and  Tennessee  for  Christ,  without  feeling  that  he  was 
a  converted  and  honest  man.  He  was  the  victim  of 
the  prejudices  engendered  by  his  lack  of  education 
and  his  early  environment.  Yet  all  his  good  qualities 
but  served  to  give  respectability  and  force  to  his  oppo- 
sition to  the  mission  cause.  It  is  pleasant  to  recall 
that  in  his  later  life  he  was  more  in  sympathy  with 
the  mission  movement  and  less  timorous  of  the  bug- 
bear which  he  had  been  the  first  to  raise.  But,  as 
Doctor  Spencer  well  says:  "His  pamphlet  had  gone 
forth  on  its  pernicious  mission,  and  probably  did 
more  to  check  the  cause  of  missions,  in  Kentucky, 
than  any  other  publication  of  the  period."  For  a 
comprehension  of  the  better  side  of  John  Taylor,  one 
should  read  his  "History  of  Ten  Churches." 

Doctor  Carroll  says:  "Daniel  Parker  was  con- 
temporary with  John  Taylor  and  claims  to  be  the 
first  opponent  of  the  Mission  system.  'It  makes  me 
shudder  when  I  think  I  am  the  first  one  (that  I  have 
any  knowledge  of)  among  the  thousands  of  zealous 
religionists  of  America,  that  have  ventured  to  draw 


104       Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

the  sword  against  the  error,  or  to  shoot  at  it  and  spare 
no  arrows.'  But  it  is  doubtful  if  this  statement  be 
true.  Taylor  wrote  in  1819,  Parker  in  1820  and  his 
pamphlet  was  republished  in  1824,  at  which  time  it 
was  printed  at  Lexington,  Kentucky,  along  with  an- 
other on  the  same  topic  and  rehashing  the  same  argu- 
ment, addressed  to  Maria  Creek  Church.  Parker  was 
a  son  of  John  Parker.  He  was  born  in  Culpepper 
County,  Virginia,  reared  in  Georgia  amid  extreme 
poverty  and  ignorance,  baptized  in  1802,  and  licensed 
shortly  after.  In  1803  he  removed  to  Trumbull 
Church  in  Tennessee,  was  ordained  there  in  1806,  and 
moved  to  Southeastern  Illinois  in  1817.  He  claims 
to  have  traveled  through  a  great  many  of  the  States 
of  America.  In  1810,  an  old  brother  in  Tennessee 
advocated  in  a  crude  form  the  Two-Seed  Doctrine. 
Parker  rebuked  him  for  it,  but  in  1826  set  forth  in 
pamphlet  an  elaboration  of  the  same  views. 

'"It  is  not  easy  to  explain,  at  least  what  was  meant 
by  Mr.  Parker  himself,  in  the  phrase  'Two-Seed,' 
which  in  time  became  so  notorious.  This  at  least 
may  be  said :  The  teaching  represented  by  it  was 
that  form  of  antinomianism  which  carried  the  doctrine 
of  predestination  to  its  utmost  extreme. 

"The  essence  of  God  is  good;  the  essence  of  evil 
is  the  Devil.  Good  angels  are  emanations  from  or 
particles  of  God;  evil  angels  are  particles  of  the 
Devil.  When  God  created  Adam  and  Eve,  they  were 
endowed  with  an  emanation  from  himself  or  particles 
of  God  were  included  in  their  constitution.  They  were 
wholly  good.  Satan,  however,  diffused  into  them 
particles  of  his  essence  by  which  they  were  corrupted. 
In  the  beginning  God  had  appointed  that  Eve  should 
bring  forth  only  a  certain  number  of  offsprings;  the 
same  provision  applied  to  each  of  her  daughters.  But 
when  the  particles  of  evil  essence  had  been  infused 
by  Satan,  the  conception  of  Eve  and  her  daughters 
was  increased.  They  were  now  required  to  bear  the 
original  number,  who  were  styled  the  seed  of  God, 
and  an  additional  number  who  were  called  the  seed 
of  the  serpent. ' ' 


The  Anti-Mission  Split— 1832  to  1842       105 

This  Two-Seed  doctrine  is  a  curious  revival,  with 
some  modifications  of  the  ancient  speculative  philos- 
ophy of  Manichffius.  Doctor  Newman  calls  it  a  'very- 
disgusting  form  of  Gnostic  heresy.'  It  is  easy  to  see 
how  such  a  heresy  would  cause  opposition  to  missions ; 
for  the  progeny  of  one  of  the  seed  would  constitute 
the  body  of  Christ,  whose  salvation  is  provided.  The 
following  quotation  is  taken  from  page  11  of  a  copy 
of  the  first  minutes  of  the  General  Association  of 
Baptists  in  Kentucky,  organized  at  Louisville,  Friday, 
October  20th,  1837. 

' '  The  Anti-missionary  spirit  owes  its  origin  to  the 
notorious  Daniel  Parker.  He  was  the  first  person 
called  Baptist  that  lent  a  hand  to  the  Infidel,  and 
Papist  in  opposing  the  proclamation  of  the  gospel  to 
every  creature,  and  the  translation  and  circulation  of 
the  Scriptures  in  all  languages  and  among  all  people. 
Possessing  a  strong  native  intellect,  and  a  bold  adven- 
turous imagination — with  a  mind  cast  in  nature's 
most  capacious  mold,  but  for  want  of  cultivation 
admirably  calculated  to  be  the  receptacle  of  notions, 
the  most  crude,  extravagant  and  chimerical,  he 
generated  an  Utopian  scheme  of  theology,  the  tend- 
ency of  which  was  to  subvert  all  practical  religion. 
The  grounds  of  his  opposition  to  missions  were  that 
the  devil  was  an  eternal  ' self-subsistent  being'  (to  use 
his  own  phrase)  ;  that  though  God  created  all,  yet 
the  devil  begat  a  part  of  mankind ;  that  those  begotten 
of  the  devil  were  his  bona  fide  children,  and  to  their 
father  they  would  and  ought  to  go;  and  of  course 
sending  them  the  gospel  and  giving  them  the  Bible 
were  acts  of  such  gross  and  supreme  folly  that  no 
Christian  should  be  engaged  in  them.  On  the  other 
hand  he  taught  that  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
human  family  were  the  actual  sons  of  God  from 
eternity,  and  being  allied  to  Jesus  Christ  ere  'the 
morning  stars  sang  together  and  all  the  sons  of  God 
shouted  for  joy'  by  the  nearest  and  dearest  ties  of 
consanguinity,  being  no  less  than  'particles'  of  his 
bodj' — bone  of  his  bone  and  flesh  of  his  flesh,  the 


106       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

Redeemer  nolens  volens,  take  them  to  mansions  pre- 
pared for  them  in  bliss;  and  hence  Mr.  Parker  very 
wisely  concluded,  that  if  such  were  the  case,  the  Lord 
had  very  little  use  for  the  Bible  or  Missionary  Socie- 
ties      But  there  were  many  who  embraced  only 

half  the  doctrine  of  Mr.  Parker  and  though  they 
manifested  no  great  apprehension  for  the  liege  sub- 
jects of  the  Prince  of  Darkness,  yet  they  expressed 
great  alarm  lest  the  missionaries  should  help  the  Lord 
to  perform  his  work,  and  convert  the  souls  of  some  in 
a  way  God  never  intended  they  should  be.  They  were 
such  staunch  friends  of  the  Lord 's  doing  all  his  work, 
that  they  set  upon  and  terribly  assailed  their  mis- 
sionary brethren,  for  fear  they  should  by  some  means 
assist  the  Lord  in  the  salvation  of  his  elect.  In  their 
zeal  against  these  ambitious  strides  of  the  missionaries, 
they  have  occasioned  great  disturbance  and  distress — 
and  destroying  the  Peace  of  Zion,  the  progress  of 
religion  has  been  greatly  retarded,  and  the  influence 
and  usefulness  of  many  ministers  and  churches  utterly 
paralyzed. ' ' 

Doctor  Carroll,  of  Texas,  in  a  speech  before  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention  at  Hot  Springs,  Ark- 
ansas, in  1900,  compared  Parker  in  his  violence  to  a 
wild  boar  rooting  up  the  tender  plants  in  a  garden. 
The  following  description  of  the  person  and  person- 
ality of  Daniel  Parker  was  written  by  Dr.  John  M. 
Peck,  of  Home  Missions  fame,  while  Parker  was  still 
alive  and  active  : 

"Mr.  Parker  is  one  of  those  singular  and  extra- 
ordinary beings  whom  divine  Providence  permits  to 
arise  as  a  scourge  to  his  church,  and  a  stumbling- 
block  in  the  way  of  religious  effort.  Raised  on  the 
frontier  of  Georgia,  (by  others  he  is  spoken  of  as  a 
native  of  Virginia),  without  education,'  uncouth  in 
manner,  slovenly  in  dress,  dimunitive  in  person,  un- 
prepossessing in  appearance,  with  shrivelled  features 
and  a  small  piercing  eye,  few  men  for  a  series  of  years 
have  exercised  a  wider  influence  on  the  lower  and  less 
educated  class  of  frontier  people.  With  a  zeal  and  an 


The  Anti-Mission  Split— 1832  to  1842       107 

enthusiasm  bordering  on  insanity,  firmness  that 
amounted  to  obstinacy,  and  perseverance  that  would 
have  done  honor  to  a  good  cause,  Daniel  Parker  ex- 
erted himself  to  the  utmost  to  induce  churches  to 
declare  non-fellowship  with  all  Baptists  who  united 
themselves  with  any  of  the  benevolent  (or  as  he  called 
them  "new-fangled")  societies. 

"His  mind  we  are  told  was  of  a  singular  and 
original  sort.  In  doctrine  he  was  antinomian.  He 
believed  himself  inspired,  and  so  persuaded  others. 
Repeatedly  we  have  heard  him  when  his  mind  seemed 
to  soar  above  his  own  powers,  and  he  would  discourse 
for  a  few  moments  on  divine  attributes  or  on  some 
devotional  subject,  with  such  brilliancy  of  thought 
and  correctness  of  language  as  would  astonish  men  of 
education  and  talents.  Then  again  it  would  seem  as  if 
he  were  perfectly  bewildered  in  a  maze  of  abstruse 
subtleties. 

"Besides  his  itineracy  among  the  churches,  Parker 
was  a  writer,  and  among  other  things  published  for 
a  time  a  periodical  called  the  "Church  Advocate." 
How  much  a  person  of  influence  he  was  is  showTi  by 
the  fact  that  during  four  years,  from  1822  to  1826, 
he  was  a  member  of  the  Illinois  State  Senate.  His 
disastrous  career  in  Illinois  and  Indiana  came  to  a 
close  in  1833,  when  he  removed  to  Texas. 

"It  is  said  of  Daniel  Parker,  that  at  one  time 
m  his  earlier  career  he  applied  for  appointment  as 
missionary,  and  when  it  was  refused  him,  turned 
against  mission  societies  and  missionary  effort  of 
every  kind.  This  was  true  at  least  of  his  coadjutor, 
Wilson  Thompson.  Just  how  far  Parker  was  influ- 
enced by  Taylor  cannot  be  known ;  but  Wilson  Thomp- 
son, his  coadjutor,  admits  to  being  greatly  influenced 
by  reading  Taylor's  pamphlet.  Recent  mission 
troubles  in  Texas  may  possibly  be  due  in  part  to 
Parker's  labors  after  reaching  that  State,  although  we 
can  discover  nothing  of  his  life  after  he  moved  to 
Texas.  The  Parkerite  heresy  has  not  vet  died  out, 
for  the  census   bulletin  for  1893  reports  the  mem- 


108       Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

bership  of  this  sect  in  the  entire  country  at  9,932." 
The  third  and  greatest  opposer  to  the  mission 
system  was  Alexander  Campbell.  In  August,  1823, 
he  began  to  publish  a  small  religious  monthly,  called 
The  Christian  Baptist.  After  making  an  exten- 
sive tour  through  some  of  the  Western  States  and 
finding  the  anti-mission  leaven  implanted  by  Parker 
and  Taylor  already  at  work,  he  became  much  more 
bold  in  his  attacks  so  that  Daniel  Parker  established 
The  Church  Advocate,  a  periodical  similar  in 
size,  form  and  aim  to  the  Christian  Baptist,  for 
the  purpose  of  advocating  church  sovereignty  and 
exclusiveness,  in  opposition  to  benevolent  societies  in 
the  West.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  in  this  Parker 
and  Campbell  made  common  cause. 

Doctor  Carroll  says,  "While  the  chief  root  of 
Parker's  opposition  lay  in  his  heresy,  Campbell's  lay 
in  the  fact  that  he  considered  himself  a  Reformer. 
As  he  said  in  his  preface,  it  would  do  no  good  to  con- 
vert heathens  to  a  form  of  Christianity  held  by  men 
who  themselves  needed  to  be  converted  to  New  Testa- 
ment Christianity.  Reformers  have  never  been  mis- 
sionaries, nor  the  reforming  ages  periods  of  mission- 
ary activity  in  the  church.  This  was  true  of  the 
Roman  church.  For  three  hundred  years,  while  the 
reformers  were  trying  by  means  of  councils  to  cleanse 
the  church  in  head  and  members,  there  was  no  mis- 
sionary activity.  Not  until  after  the  Reformation, 
when  the  Council  of  Trent  had  finally  put  a  quietus 
on  the  reform  movements,  did  Roman  missionary 
activity  begin.  The  same  was  true  of  the  Protestant 
churches.  As  long  as  Europe  was  filled  with  the  jan- 
gling of  their  warring  creeds,  missionary  effort,  though 
feebly  attempted  a  few  times,  miserably  failed.  But 
in  the  fullness  of  time  when  religious  opinions  had 
all  clarified  and  crystallized  into  settled  creeds,  Cary 
arose  to  set  the  Christian  world  on  fire  with  mission- 
ary enthusiasm.  Campbell,  then,  as  a  reformer  could 
not  readily  be  a  missionary.  His  mistake  lay  in  sup- 
posing the  Baptists  needed  reformation.     What  they 


The  Anti-Mission  Split— 1832  to  1842       109 

needed  was  co-operation  and  missionary  zeal.  This, 
Campbell  was  not  responsible  for  giving  them,  except 
as  Judas  was  responsible  for  our  redemption." 

Some  combinations  are  hard  to  understand.  We 
have  here  the  curious  spectacle  of  the  highest  anti- 
nomianism,  represented  by  Parker  and  Taylor,  and 
the  most  extreme  Arminianism,  represented  by  Camp- 
bell, combined  to  attack  the  principles  of  missions.  So 
we  find  that  other  things  than  politics  make  strange 
bedfellows.  The  one  side  claimed  it  to  be  an  infringe- 
ment of  the  divine,  and  the  other  of  church  sover- 
eignty. The  Gospel  Missioners  of  today  make  the 
latter  claim.  Doctor  Spencer  truly  says  of  Campbell, 
that  he  exercised  more  influence  over  the  Baptists  of 
Kentucky  than  of  any  other  state,  and  that  while  ' '  not 
the  originator  of  opposition  to  missions  he  was  its 
most  successful  advocate."  It  is  not  our  purpose  to 
follow  Mr.  ampbell  into  all  the  doctrinal  and  creedal 
vagaries  into  which  his  reform  policy  led  him.  But 
by  attacking  and  attempting  to  change  the  very  plan 
of  salvation  itself,  the  only  doctrine  more  vital  than 
that  of  missions,  he  finally  succeeded  in  adding  an- 
other to  the  already  large  number  of  sects  in  Christ- 
endom. His  activity  in  this  line  was  so  great  and  its 
results  are  so  well  known  as  to  obscure  his  responsi- 
bility for  the  Hardshell  split.  Doctor  Carroll  makes 
the  charge  that  "Alexander  Campbell  was  the  father 
of  twins,  Hardshellism  and  Campbellism.  Hardshell- 
ism  first  gave  indication  of  its  appearance,  but  as  in 
the  case  of  Jacob  and  Esau,  it  was  supplanted  in  the 
womb  by  its  brother,  Campbellism.  Hardshellism, 
though  longer  in  taking  to  itself  a  local  habitation  and 
a  name,  was  the  first  of  the  two  to  disturb  the  Baptist 
denomination.  But  here,  as  in  the  case  of  Parker, 
many  followed  him  (Campbell)  in  his  opposition  to 
missions,  who  did  not  join  him  in  his  doctrinal  vaga- 
ries and  who  were  left  behind  to  vex  the  saints  when 
the  believers  in  his  creed,  as  set  forth  in  the  Christian 
Baptist  and  the  Millennial  Harbinger,  went  out  from 
the  Baptists  to  form  a  new  denomination.     The  de- 


110        Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

nomination  he  founded  has  found  it  necessary  in  the 
struggle  for  existence  to  discard  all  his  anti-mission- 
ary ideas,  and  to  use  all  the  methods  he  so  unspar- 
ingly burlesqued."  The  "Non-progressive"  wing  of 
the  Campbellites  is  still  anti-mission  in  sentiment. 
They  are  simon  pure  Campbellites. 

As  to  Mr.  Campbell's  teaching  and  influence  on 
Missions  in  Kentucky,  we  can  give  no  better  authority 
than  Doctor  Spencer  in  his  "History  of  Kentucky 
Baptists"  Vol.  I,  pp.  593,  594). 

"Mr.  Campbell's  opposition  to  theological  schools 
and  educated  ministry  was  equally  persistent  with 
his  endeavors  to  destroy  Missionary  and  Bible  socie- 
ties. Of  the  truth  of  this,  sufficient  evidence  has  been 
given  in  the  extracts  already  quoted  from  his  writings. 
If  the  reader  desires  to  investigate  the  subject  further, 
he  is  referred  to  the  Christian  Baptist  in  its  original 
form;  not  to  the  more  recent  publications  under  that 
title. 

* '  The  effects  of  these  teachings  were  felt  as  far  as 
the  Christian  Baptist  was  circulated,  and  nowhere 
more  than  among  the  Baptists  of  Kentucky.  The 
preachers  who  had  hitherto  received  but  a  small  pit- 
tance from  their  charges,  were  further  reduced  in  their 
resources  of  living.  The  friends  of  education  were 
discouraged  in  their  endeavors  to  erect  a  college.  The 
Baptist  missionary  societies,  that  started  under  such 
auspicious  circumstances,  were  dwarfed,  and  ulti- 
mately perished.  The  ministers  were  brought  into  dis- 
repute among  those  who  most  needed  the  restraints 
of  their  teachings,  and  practical  benevolence  was  well 
nigh  destroyed  in  the  churches,  at  least,  so  far  as 
any  effort  to  spread  a  knowledge  of  the  gospel  was 
concerned.  It  required  the  labors  of  thirty  years  to 
bring  the  Baptist  churches  of  Kentucky  'up  to  the 
standard  of  Christian  benevolence,  to  which  they  had 
attained,  in  1816,  and  a  considerable  fraction  of  them 
continued  their  downward  course,  in  this  respect, 
thirty  years  longer." 

Doctor  Spencer  seems  to  be  the  first  of  our  Baptist 


The  Anti-Mission  Split— 1832  to  1842       111 

historians  to  recognize  and  credit  Mr.  Campbell  with 
the  large  part  he  played  in  anti-missionism. 

Quoting  Doctor  Carroll  again  (pp.  157-8)  "Prior 
to  1830,  the  Licking  Association  of  Kentucky  adopted 
the  policy  of  Mr.  Campbell  in  regard  to  missions,  be- 
nevolent societies  and  theological  education,  (The 
Licking  Association,  however,  did  not  declare  non- 
fellowship  for  missions  until  1834.  See  Spencer,  Vol. 
II,  p.  243 — Nowlin),  but  rejected  his  theology.  In 
the  meantime,  of  course,  Mr.  Campbell  had  been 
developing  his  theology  in  its  more  well-known  forms 
and  laying  the  foundation  for  a  new  denomination. 
In  Kentucky,  by  1830,  there  was  a  definite  separation 
between  the  Baptists  and  the  Disciples,  as  they  called 
themselves.  The  remnant  of  the  one-time  strong 
Arminian  element  among  the  Baptists  had  gone  with 
the  Disciples.  But  the  fact  that  this  Arminianism 
was  made  prominent  prevented  many  of  those  among 
the  Baptists  who  shared  Mr.  Campbell's  views  in  re- 
gard to  missionary  operations,  Bible  distribution  and 
theological  education,  from  joining  his  'Disciples.' 
These  were  left  among  the  Baptists  to  cause  yet  fur- 
ther division.  The  anti-missionaries  thus  left  behind 
were  not  agi*eed  among  themselves.  The  larger  ele- 
ment, represented  by  Licking,  Red  River  and  other 
Associations,  was  decidedly  antinomian  in  its  doctrine. 
This  antinomian  faction  was  itself  divided  on  the 
Two-Seeds  doctrine  of  Parker  and  afterward  on  the 
resurrection.  The  other  division  of  the  anti-mission- 
aries followed  Doctor  Andrew  Fuller's  interpretation 
of  the  doctrines  of  grace,  but  'opposed  all  human 
societies'  for  carrying  the  gospel.  The  number  of 
these  anti-missionaries  left  was  about  7,000 ;  their  loss 
in  numbers  would  have  been  seriously  felt,  but  the 
power  of  the  church  to  recuperate  would  have  been 
greatly  strengthened  had  they  gone  out  with  the  rest 
of  Mr.  Campbell's  'Disciples."'  " 

In  the  Life  of  Thomas  J.  Fisher  (p.  68)  Doctor 
Spencer,  after  giving  account  of  the  inroads  made  by 
Campbellism  and  anti-missionism  says :    ' '  This  was 


112       KcntucJnj  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

the  condition  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  Ken- 
tucky in  A.  D.  1835.  For  a  number  of  years  weakened 
and  embarrassed  by  a  heartless,  inert  fatalism  (Hard- 
shellism)  on  one  side,  and  a  turbulent,  factious  ration- 
alism (Campbellism)  on  the  other,  she  separated  from 
them  both  at  a  cost  of  nearly  or  quite  one-half  of  her 
entire  membership."  These  losses,  however,  were 
gains  to  the  Baptists  in  the  end. 

The  early  Kentucky  Baptists  not  only  sent  mis- 
sionaries to  the  Indians,  but  established  schools  for 
their  children,  as  the  following  shows :  ' '  The  Ken- 
tucky Missionary  Society  established  a  school  for 
Indian  children  near  Georgetown,  Kentucky,  to  which 
they  gave  the  name  of  Choctaw  Academy.  The  school 
opened  with  eight  red  children,  in  the  spring  of  1819. 
The  number  of  students  increased  from  year  to  year, 
till  it  became  a  large  and  flourishing  school.  In  1828, 
seventeen  of  the  Indians  in  this  school  were  baptized 
into  Great  Crossing  Church,  in  Scott  County,  and  of 
the  number,  Sampson  Birch  and  Robert  Jones,  became 
preachers  of  the  gospel  among  their  people  in  the  far 
West"  ("History  of  Kentucky  Baptists,"  Vol.  I, 
p.  579). 

This  shows  that  the  early  Baptists  in  Kentucky 
were  favorable  to  both  missions  and  education,  and 
not  only  in  sentiment,  but  in  their  efforts. 

' '  The  decade  extending  from  1810  to  1820  was  one 
of  great  prosperity  to  the  Baptists  of  Kentucky.  There 
were  ten  associations  formed  during  that  period," 
says  Spencer  (Vol.  I,  p.  579).  This  shows  that  the 
anti-mission  spirit  had  not  yet  become  prevalent  in 
Kentucky. 

In  the  history  of  the  Salem  Association  Spencer 
records  the  fact  that  "In  1818,  the  association  ear- 
nestly recommended  the  churches  to  contribute  to  mis- 
sionary purposes,  and  expressed  the  opinion  that  edu- 
cational societies  greatly  conduce  to  the  promotion  of 
the  Redeemer's  Kingdom."  (Vol.  II,  p.  54). 

The  anti-mission  split  in  this  association  did  not 
occur  until  1839,  when  a  few  churches  split  off  and 


The  Anti-Mission  Split— 1832  to  1842       113 

constituted  "Otto  Creek  Association  of  Regular  Bap- 
tists." In  Tate's  Creek  Association  according  to 
Spencer  (Vol.  II,  p.  95)  the  division  took  place  in 
1842. 

The  Licking  Association  became  a  "Hardshell," 
or  anti-mission  association,  in  1834.  Spencer  in  his 
history  of  the  Licking  Association  says  (Vol.  II,  p. 
243)  :  "The  association  still  continued  to  increase 
slowly  in  numbers  till  1834,  when  it  reached  a  mem- 
bership of  32  churches,  aggregating  1,483  members. 
These  are  the  largest  numbers  it  has  ever  attained.  It 
had  been  made  sufficiently  manifest,  by  the  transac- 
tions of  1820  that  the  body  was  opposed  to  missions. 
But  now  the  more  radical  of  the  churches  began  to 
clamor  for  a  direct  expression  on  the  subject.  Accord- 
ingly the  association  in  1834  recorded  its  views  in  the 
following  language :  '  In  answer  to  the  suggestions 
made  in  several  of  the  letters  from  our  churches,  we 
declare  non-fellowship  for  missionary,  Bible,  tract 
(and) temperance  societies,  theological  and  Sabbath 
schools  and  Baptist  conventions  as  religious  institu- 
tions, believing  (that)  they  are  without  divine  war- 
rant.' "  The  call  from  the  churches  for  "a  direct 
expression"  on  the  subject  of  missions  shows  that  the 
association  had  not  jet  taken  a  definite  stand  on  this 
question ;  and  the  action  of  the  association  shows  the 
same. 

At  their  meeting  in  1820  "A  circular  letter  from 
the  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  was  laid  on 
the  table,  which  was  equivalent  to  withdrawing  cor- 
respondence from  that  organization"  (Spencer,  Vol. 
II,  p.  242).  This  action  and  the  minutes  of  former 
meetings  show  that  the  association  had  been  in  cor- 
respondence with  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions.  The 
above  shows  that  the  Licking  Association  did  not 
declare  itself  anti-missionary  until  1834,  and  the  fol- 
lowing shows  that  as  a  result  of  that  declaration  she 
lost  many  of  her  churches.  ' '  The  church  at  Dry  Run 
withdrew  from  the  association  the  same  year  that  she 
declared  non-fellowship  for  missionary  societies.  In 
11 


114        Kentiickif  Baptist  History— 1770-1923 

1837  East  Hickman  and  Richland  Creek  withdrew ; 
and  in  1839,  Mill  Creek,  Poplar  Grove,  White  Oak 
Run,  North  Fork  and  Licking  Locust  were  dropped 
from  the  association,  for  failing,  two  successive  years, 
to  represent  themselves."  (Spencer,  Vol.  II,  p.  244). 
The  division  in  the  Highland  Association  took  place 
in  1835.  The  churches  withdrawing  at  this  meeting 
constituted  the  Little  Bethel  Association  on  Saturday- 
preceding  the  second  Lord's  day  in  September,  1836. 
The  author  has  before  him  an  old  ledger  givijig  the 
minutes  of  the  association  from  its  organization  in 
1836  to  1866,  written  in  a  fine,  clear,  legible  style. 

In  the  first  minutes  of  the  association  is  set  forth 
the  reason  for  its  organization  in  the  following : 
"First.  On  motion  and  second,  it  was  unanimously 
agreed  that  the  following  preamble  be  inserted  in 
front  of  our  minutes.  To  all  w^hom  it  may  concern, 
be  it  known,  that  we  the  constituent  members  of  the 
Little  Bethel  Association,  this  day  formed  at  Flat 
Creek  meeting  house,  Hopkins  County,  Kentucky, 
having  been  heretofore  members  of  the  Highland  As- 
sociation, and  having  seen  with  mortification  and  deep 
regret  the  violent  opposition  of  a  majority  of  that 
body  to  the  benevolent  institutions  of  the  day,  and 
that  they  have  repeatedly  violated  the  spirit  and  let- 
ter of  the  constitution  thereof  within  the  last  four 
years."  Here  they  set  forth  a  number  of  items  of 
complaint.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  main  reason 
for  this  separation  was  "the  violent  opposition  of  a 
majority  of  that  body  to  the  Benevolent  Institutions 
of  the  day." 

The  Little  Bethel  Association  is  now  a  strong  asso- 
ciation with  a  membership  of  3,403,  while  the  High- 
land, which  became  anti-missionary,  has  dwindled 
away. 

Of  the  North  District  Association  Spencer  says, 
(Vol.  II,  p.  124)  :  "The  anti-missionary  complexion 
of  the  body  was  manifested  by  its  dropping  correspon- 
dence with  all  the  neighboring  associations,  except 
Burning  Springs,  between  the  years  1837  and  1842. 


The  Anti-Mission  Split— 1832  to  1842       115 

in  1859  it  assumed  the  name  of  'Old  Baptist,'  which 
it  still  bears."  The  name  "Old  Baptist"  indicates 
that  it  is  an  anti-missionary  body.  This  name,  how- 
ever, was  not  assumed  until  1859. 

The  Baptists  have  rallied  from  these  blows  and 
now  probably  outnumber  all  the  Protestant  denomi- 
nations in  the  state  combined.  So  far  as  the  author 
can  ascertain  there  are  but  few  anti-mission  Baptist 
churches  in  Kentucky  today,  and  the  few  that  do 
exist,  are  weak  and  dying.  Anti-missions  is  one  of  the 
most  blighting  heresies  that  can  strike  a  church.  The 
vital  principle  of  the  Christian  religion  seems  to  be, 
give  and  live  or  deny  and  die.  "There  is  that  scat- 
tereth  and  yet  increaseth;  there  is  that  withholdeth 
more  than  is  meet,  but  it  tendeth  to  poverty." 

This  has   been  thoroughly   demonstrated  by  the 
Missionary  and  Anti-missionary  Baptists,  not  only  in 
Kentucky,  but  throughout  the  entire  country. 
Baptist  Growth 

According  to  a  survey  of  the  Baptist  development 
in  the  United  States  in  the  century  from  1821  to 
1921,  just  completed  by  Dr.  E.  P.  Alldredge,  Secre- 
tary of  Survey,  Statistics  and  Information  of  the 
Baptist  Sunday  School  Board,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  the 
Baptist  growth  during  that  period  was  7,716,563,  or 
2,967  per  cent.  The  larger  part  of  this  growth  was 
experienced  in  the  South,  where  there  are  now  6,162,- 
500  Baptists. 

Kentucky  has  a  total  Baptist  strength  of  381,865, 
Doctor  Alldredge  finds.  This  number  is  accounted 
for  as  follows : 

White  Baptists  co-operating  with  Southern  Bap- 
tist Convention,  261,135 ;  non-co-operating  white 
Baptists,  30,730 ;  Negro  Baptists,  90,000.  Of  the  30,- 
730  "non-co-operating  Baptists"  Doctor  Alldredge 
gives  "Primitive  Baptists  2,250."  This  seems  to  be 
the  strength  of  the  Anti-mission  Baptists  in  Ken- 
tucky at  the  present  time,  while  the  white  Baptists 
of  the  state  number  about  300,000. 


CHAPTER  X 
The  Kentucky  Baptist  Convention — 1832 

' '  The  Kentucky  Baptist  Convention  "  is  an  almost 
forgotten  chapter  in  Kentucky  Baptist  history.  It 
was  like  man  born  of  woman  "of  few  days  and  full 
of  troubles." 

In  March  of  the  year  1832  a  number  of  Baptists 
met  in  Bardstown  and  organized  a  state  convention 
which  had  a  short  and  checkered  career.  Spencer 
(Vol.  I,  page  651)  says:  "The  whole  number  of  dele- 
gates was  thirty-four.  Silas  M.  Noel  was  elected 
moderator,  and  Henry  Wingate  clerk.  The  meeting 
adopted  the  following : 

Constitution  of  the  Kentucky  Baptist  State 
Convention 

"Art.  1.  This  convention  shall  be  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Kentucky  Baptist  Convention. 

"2.  It  shall  be  composed  of  those,  and  those  only, 
who  belong  to  or  are  in  correspondence  with  the  Gen- 
eral Union  of  Baptists  of  Kentucky. 

"3.  Any  church,  auxiliary  society  or  association 
belonging  to  the  Baptist  connection  shall  be  entitled 
to  three  representatives  qualified  as  in  Article  2. 

"4.  The  representatives  of  the  churches,  societies 
and  associations,  when  assembled  in  convention,  shall 
have  no  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  over  the  churches 
or  associations,  nor  act  even  as  an  advisory  council 
in  cases  of  difficulty  between  churches,,  nor  shaU  they 
interfere  with  the  constitution  of  any  church  or  asso- 
ciation, nor  with  the  articles  of  general  union. 

"5.  The  convention,  when  met,  shall  elect  a 
moderator,  three  corresponding  secretaries,  clerk, 
treasurer,  and  as  many  other  members  as  the  con- 
vention  may,   from  time   to   time,  think   necessary; 

116 


The  Kentucky  Baptist  Convention — 1832     117 

who,  together  with  said  officers,  shall  be  an  executive 
board;  a  majority  may  constitute  a  quorum  for  busi- 
ness. During  the  recess  of  the  convention,  its  business 
shall  be  transacted  by  the  executive  committee,  who 
shall  have  power  to  fill  vacancies  in  their  own  body, 
and  shall  submit  a  report  of  their  proceedings  to  each 
annual  meeting, 

"6.  The  convention  shall,  annually,  collect  and 
publish  a  statistical  account  of  the  churches  and  asso- 
ciations in  this  state,  devise  and  execute  plans  for 
supplying  destitute  churches  and  neighborhoods  with 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  have  the  power  to  disburse 
monies,  contributed  by  the  churches  and  associations, 
in  the  manner  specified  by  the  contributors,  provided 
special  instructions  are  sent. 

"7.  All  monies  contributed  by  the  churches, 
associations  and  others  to  aid  traveling  preachers  and 
to  advance  the  benevolent  views  and  objects  of  the 
convention  generally  shall  be  specifically  appropriated 
to  those  purposes. 

* '  8.  The  convention  shall  send  forth  men  of  tried 
integrity  and  usefulness  to  preach  the  gospel. 

''The  two  only  remaining  articles  relate  to  the 
time  and  place  of  meeting,  and  the  amending  of  the 
constitution.  A  brief  circular  letter  was  appended  to 
the  minutes  of  the  convention,  explaining  the  objects 
of  the  institution,  as  set  forth  in  the  constitution. 
The  sum  of  $190.6834  was  placed  at  the  disposal  of 
the  convention,  and  after  passing  some  unimportant 
resolutions  it  adjourned  to  meet  at  New  Castle  the 
following  October. 

"The  only  important  business  transacted  at  the 
'adjourned  meeting'  at  New  Castle  was  the  adoption 
of  Rules  of  Decorum  and  the  report  of  a  special 
committee  that  had  been  charged  with  the  duty  of 
establishing  a  weekly  newspaper  as  the  organ  of  the 
convention.  This  duty  had  been  discharged  by  the 
establishment  of  the  Cross  and  the  Baptist  Banner, 
the  first  Baptist  weekly  that  was  published  in  Ken- 
tucky.    The  first  number  had  been  issued  previous 


118        Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

to  this  meeting  of  the  convention.  Uriel  B.  Cham- 
bers was  its  editor,  and  assumed  all  the  pecuniary 
responsibility  of  its  publication,  taking  the  profits  of 
the  paper  as  a  compensation  for  his  labors. 

"The  first  annual  meeting  of  the  Kentucky  Bap- 
tist Convention  was  held  at  Lexington,  beginning  May 
25,  1833.  George  Waller  preacher  the  introductory 
sermon.  There  were  present  twenty-six  delegates, 
representing  ten  auxiliary  associations  and  three 
churches.  The  report  of  the  executive  committee  was 
encouraging.  Forty  commissions  had  been  issued,  ten 
of  which  had  been  accepted  by  the  missionaries. 
Ninety  weeks  of  missionary  labor  had  been  performed, 
and  between  400  and  500  had  been  baptized.  The 
receipts  of  the  committee  during  the  year  amounted 
to  $595,521/^,  which  was  overdrawn  by  the  mission- 
aries, leaving  a  small  indebtedness  on  the  com- 
mittee. 

"The  second  annual  meeting  of  the  convention 
began  in  Louisville  October  18,  1834.  Alfred  Bennett 
of  New  York  preached  the  introductory  sermon.  Only 
fifteen  delegates  were  present.  Only  three  churches 
were  represented,  the  other  twelve  delegates  being 
from  auxiliary  associations.  The  report  of  the  execu- 
tive committee  was  gloomy  and  discouraging.  They 
lament  the  death,  from  cholera,  of  David  Thurman, 
Herbert  Waggener,  James  H.  L.  Moorman  and  David 
Kelly,  all  friends  of  the  convention,  and  the  last  two 
in  its  employ  as  missionaries  at  the  time  of  their  death. 
The  treasurer's  report  showed  the  receipts  for  the 
year  to  have  been  only  $339.17^.  It  was  sufficiently 
manifest  that  the  convention,  which  was  unpopular 
from  the  beginning,  was  constantly  becoming  more  so. 
The  friends  of  the  organization  made  strenuous  efforts 
to  sustain  it.  But  their  efforts  were  in  vain.  It  was 
manifestly  falling  to  pieces.  Some  of  the  district  asso- 
ciations passed  resolutions  against  it,  while  others 
were  silent  on  the  subject.  A  newspaper,  called  the 
Baptist  Banner,  was  started  in  Shelbyville,  edited 
by  J.  S.  Wilson,  M.  D.,  and  issued  semi-monthly  as  a 


The  Kentucky  Baptist  Convention — 1832     119 

rival  of,  if  not  in  opposition  to,  The  Cross  and  Baptist 
Weekly  Journal,  the  organ  of  the  convention, 

"An  adjourned  meeting  of  the  convention  was 
held  at  Frankfort  in  January,  1835.  John  S.  Wilson 
preached  the  introductory  sermon.  Ten  ministers  and 
seven  delegates  were  present.  It  appears  from  the 
wording  of  the  minutes  that  the  preachers  present 
were  not  delegates.  The  finances  of  the  convention 
were  less  satisfactory  than  at  the  previous  meeting." 

In  addition  to  the  account  as  given  by  Spencer, 
we  have  a  more  extended  account  given  by  Dr.  J,  M. 
Pendleton  in  his  Jubilee  address  in  Jubilee  Volume, 
page  two,  and  following  in  which  he  says : 

"Messrs.  Noel  and  Wilson,  with  others,  felt  that 
something  should  be  done  to  supply  the  destitute  parts 
of  the  state  with  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  In 
furtherance  of  this  object,  the  Kentucky  Baptist  Con- 
vention was  organized  at  Bardstown  in  March,  1832. 
Doctor  Noel  was  chosen  moderator,  and  the  number 
of  messengers  was  only  thirty-seven.  Truly  this  was, 
in  one  sense,  'the  day  of  small  things,'  but  in  another 
sense  it  was  the  day  of  great  things.  It  was  the  plant- 
ing of  a  grain  of  mustard  seed  which  germinated 
slowly  and  grew  slowly  in  its  early  years,  but  which 
has  now  become  a  tree  of  respectable  size,  and  des- 
tined, as  we  trust,  at  no  distant  day  to  send  out  its 
branches  so  that  all  parts  of  the  state  may  enjoy  its 
grateful  shade. 

"From  the  constitution  adopted  at  Bardstown  we 
learn  that  the  chief  functions  of  the  convention  were 
to  'devise  and  execute  plans  for  supplying  destitute 
churches  and  neighborhoods  with  the  gospel  of  Christ, ' 
'to  disburse  monies  contributed  by  the  churches  and 
associations  in  the  manner  specified  by  the  contribu- 
tors, provided  special  instructions  are  sent,  and  to 
send  forth  men  of  tried  integrity  and  usefulness  to 
preach  the  gospel. ' 

"The  convention  began  its  work  with  less  than 
two  hundred  dollars  in  its  treasury,  and  if  all  the 
Baptist  ministers  in  the  state  had  been  its  friends  the 


120       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

number  would  not  have  been  much  in  excess  of  two 
hundred,  while  the  churches  were  not  far  from  five 
hundred,  and  the  members  not  much  more  than  thirty- 
five  thousand.  The  difSculty  of  bringing  these  com- 
paratively small  numbers  into  harmonious  co-opera- 
tion was  much  greater  than  most  persons  can  now 
easily  imagine.  Many  brethren  were,  of  course,  sus- 
picious of  interference  with  the  independence  of  the 
churches,  and  many  others  knew  that,  as  the  pur- 
poses of  the  convention  could  not  be  carried  into  effect 
without  money,  the  best  way  to  keep  their  money  was 
to  stand  aloof.  There  were  doctrinal  differences 
among  ministers.  Some  in  the  upper  part  of  the  state 
were  probably  too  Calvinistic,  and  some  in  the  Green 
River  section  had  Arminian  proclivities.  Brethren 
were  afraid  of  one  another,  and  very  jealous  for  the 
interests  of  orthodoxy  as  held  by  themselves.  Each 
minister  believed  himself  orthodox,  and  always  looked 
away  from  himself  to  find  heterodoxy,  and  very  often 
found  what  he  looked  for.  In  short,  the  state  of  things 
was  by  no  means  promising. 

The  convention  having  been  formed  at  Bards- 
town,  adjourned  to  meet  at  New  Castle  in  October, 
1832.  The  convention  at  New  Castle  was  not  numer- 
ously attended,  but  some  choice  spirits  were  there. 
I  saw  Doctor  Noel,  a  fine  looking  man,  somewhat  in- 
clined to  corpulency,  and  as  competent  to  say  a  good 
deal  in  few  words  as  almost  any  man  I  have  seen. 
Dr.  George  W.  Eaton,  then  of  the  faculty  of 
Georgetown  College,  was  there  and  said  eloquent 
things.  Dr.  Ryland  T.  Dillard  was  present,  a  fine 
specimen  of  manly  beauty,  and  the  words  he  spoke 
were  words  of  wisdom.  A  few  other  ministers  were 
there,  among  whom  was  Blackburn,  of  Woodford 
County ;  but  they  have  all  passed  away.  I  am,  so  far 
as  I  know,  the  only  man  living  who  was  at  the  con- 
vention at  New  Castle  in  1832. 

"In  May,  1833,  the  annual  meeting  of  the  conven- 
tion -was  held  in  Lexington,  and  the  introductory  ser- 
mon  was   preached   by   Rev.    George   Waller.      The 


The  Kentucky  Baptist  Convention — 1832     121 

attendance  was  small,  only  twenty-six  messengers 
present.  Ninety  weeks  of  missionary  labor  were  re- 
ported by  ten  missionaries  who  had  baptized  over  four 
hundred  persons.  Receipts  of  money  during  the  year 
amounted  to  nearly  six  hundred  dollars.  There  was 
an  adjourned  meeting  of  the  convention  at  Russell- 
ville  in  October  of  the  same  year,  though  Doctor 
Spencer  in  his  history  does  not  refer  to  it.  I  remem- 
ber well  Rev.  William  Warder  was  moderator,  and 
the  ministers  present  were  George  Waller,  John  S. 
Wilson,  William  C.  Warfield,  Robert  T.  Anderson, 
Daniel  S.  Colgan,  and  others.  Of  the  laymen  present 
there  was  no  better  specimen  of  a  Christian  gentleman 
than  Dr.  A.  Webber,  of  Hopkinsville. 

"The  convention  transacted  very  little  business, 
but  passed  a  number  of  resolutions.  It  has  ever  been 
easy  to  resolve. 

"The  second  annual  meeting  of  the  convention 
was  held  in  Louisville,  October,  1834.  Rev.  Alfred 
Bennett,  of  New  York,  agent  of  the  old  Triennial 
Convention  for  Foreign  Missions,  preached,  by  re- 
quest, the  introductory  sermon.  The  discreditable 
fact  can  not  be  denied  that  fifteen  messengers  only 
were  present.  The  receipts  of  the  year  were  a  little 
more  than  half  as  large  as  those  of  the  preceding 
year.  This  was  discouraging;  but  it  was  more  dis- 
couraging that  such  men  of  God  as  David  Thurman, 
Herbert  Waggener,  J.  H.  L.  Moorman,  and  David 
Kelley  had  fallen  victims  to  cholera.  The  last  two 
were  missionaries,  and  their  death  cast  sadness  and 
gloom  over  the  convention.  The  prayer  of  the 
Psalmist  was  appropriate,  'Help,  Lord,  for  the  godly 
man  ceaseth.' 

"The  convention  met,  by  adjournment,  at  Frank- 
fort, in  January,  1835.  It  was  a  small  meeting. 
There  were  present  ten  ministers  and  seven  laymen. 
A  sermon  introductory  to  business  was  preached  by 
Rev.  John  S.  Wilson,  and  a  committee,  appointed 
at  the  annual  meeting  in  October,  1834,  'to  devise  a 
more  efficient  plan  of  itinerant  preaching,'  made  a 


122       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

long  report.  This  committee  consisted  of  John  S. 
Wilson,  George  Waller,  U.  B.  Chambers,  John  Scott, 
Silas  M.  Noel,  and  Samuel  Haycraft.  The  report  is 
rather  a  strange  paper,  and  what  it  says  about  'sub- 
ordination and  coincidence  in  the  arrangements  for 
systematic  labor'  defies  the  comprehension  of  ordinary 
mortals.  It  was  referred  to  by  John  Stevens,  editor 
of  the  Baptist  Advocate,  of  Cincinnati,  as  an  'able 
report.'  It  was  written  by  Wilson,  and  concurred  in 
by  the  other  members  of  the  committee ;  and  while 
Wilson  was  exceedingly  brilliant  as  an  exhorter,  he 
was  not  very  happy  as  a  writer. 

"The  report  recommended  that  the  state  be 
divided  into  three  parts,  to  be  styled  Eastern,  Middle, 
and  Western,  and  that  a  'Helping  Evangelist'  be 
appointed  for  each  division.  There  was  to  be  in  each 
division  what  was  called  the  'Evangelical  Band' 
(probably  evangelistic  was  meant),  and  this  'Band' 
was  to  be  aided  by  the  'Helping  Evangelist,'  and  to 
make  report  to  him. 

"The  report,  though  it  seems  to  have  in  it  some 
of  the  visionary  element,  was  adopted  by  the  conven- 
tion, and  three  'Helping  Evangelists'  were  elected  by 
private  ballot,  namely,  William  C.  Buck  for  the 
eastern,  George  Waller  for  the  middle,  and  William 
C.  Warfield  for  the  western  division.  It  is  not  prob- 
able that  these  brethren  accepted  the  places  offered 
them.  If  they  did,  so  far  as  we  know,  they  made  no 
report  of  their  work.  Indeed,  it  is  almost  certain 
that  they  saw,  on  reflection,  that  they  were  clothed 
with  powers,  the  exercise  of  which  would  not  be 
agreeable  to  ministers  or  churches. 

"The  third  annual  meeting  of  the  convention  was 
held  in  Louisville  in  October,  1835.  It  met  with  the 
First  Church,  on  Fifth  and  Green  streets.  It  was  a 
time  of  sadness  and  sorrow.  The  pastor,  the  beloved 
John  S.  Wilson,  had  died  the  preceding  August,  and 
the  church  made  great  lamentation  over  him.  He 
was  followed  to  his  grave  by  a  loving  band  of  sincere 
mourners.    It  was  arranged  for  Doctor  Noel  to  preach 


The  Kentucky  Baptist  Convention — 1832     123 

a  funeral  sermon  on  Sunday  morning  of  the  conven- 
tion. His  text  was  Luke  12 :37 :  'Blessed  are  those 
servants  whom  the  Lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find 
watching. ' 

"There  was  but  little  business  done  at  this  meet- 
ing of  the  convention,  and  there  was  not  much  to 
justify  the  hope  that  the  organization  would  ever 
accomplish  a  great  deal.  The  convention,  however, 
held  an  adjourned  meeting  at  Greensburg  in  May, 
1836;  and  in  the  meantime  the  stroke  of  death  had 
fallen  on  William  C.  Warfield  and  Walter  Warder, 
whose  brother  William  died  in  August  following. 
Thus  the  workers  were  ceasing  while  the  work  de- 
manded earnest  prosecution.  Prospects  were  gloomy, 
and  the  friends  of  Zion  wept  in  secret  places. 

' '  If  there  was  an  annual  meeting  of  the  convention 
in  October,  1836,  it  has  escaped  my  memory,  and 
Doctor  Spencer  makes  no  reference  to  it  in  his  history. 
This,  however,  does  not  absolutely  prove  that  the  con- 
vention did  not  meet;  for  Doctor  Spencer  does  not 
mention  the  meeting  at  Louisville  in  October,  1835, 
and  the  one  at  Greensburg  in  May,  1836.  This  shows 
how  difficult  it  is  not  to  overlook  some  historical  facts ; 
for  who  could  do  better  than  the  historian  of  Ken- 
tucky Baptists  has  done?" 

Baptists  at  this  time  were  afraid  of  conventions. 
The  very  name  did  not  sound  good  to  their  ears,  and 
then  they  were  afraid  of  ecclesiastical  authority,  so 
the  convention  died  and  its  demise  was  mourned  by 
but  few. 

Dr.  Silas  M.  Noel,  however,  did  not  give  up  his 
efforts  to  organize  the  work  of  the  denomination  in 
Kentucky. 

The  Baptists  of  Kentucky  owe  much  to  the  untir- 
ing efforts  of  the  Rev.  Silas  M.  Noel,  D.  D.,  for  the 
organized  work  of  the  state.  He,  more  than  any 
other,  seemed  to  realize  the  need  of  a  general  organi- 
zation for  the  promotion  of  our  state  work. 


CHAPTER  XI 

The  General  Association  Constituted — 1837 

Five  years  after  the  organization  of  the  "State 
Convention"  another  effort  was  made  to  effect  a  gen- 
eral organization  of  Baptists  in  Kentucky. 

Dr.  Silas  M.  Noel,  who  was  largely  responsible 
for  the  constitution  of  the  Baptist  State  Convention, 
with  some  others,  was  still  saying  ''something  must 
be  done."  "The  need  of  a  state  organization  was 
felt  by  the  brethren,  so  a  call  was  sent  out  for  a 
meeting  in  Louisville  in  response  to  which  a  number 
of  delegates  and  brethren  from  various  associations 
and  churches  met  in  the  Baptist  meeting-house  in 
the  city  of  Louisville,  on  Friday,  October  20,  1837, 
for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  general  Association 
of  Baptists  in  Kentucky."  (Spencer  here  gives  a  list 
of  those  present.) 

Following  is  the  constitution  which  this  body 
adopted : 

1st.  This  body  shall  be  called  the  General  Asso- 
ciation of  Baptists  in  Kentucky. 

2d.  This  association  shall  be  composed  of  repre- 
sentatives from  such  Baptist  churches  and  associations 
in  this  state  as  are  in  regular  standing. 

3d.  Every  such  church  and  association,  contribut- 
ing annually  to  the  funds  of  this  association,  shall  be 
entitled  to  a  representation. 

4th.  This  association  shall,  in  a  special  manner, 
aim  to  promote,  by  every  legitimate  means,  the  pros- 
perity of  the  cause  of  God  in  this  state. 

5th.  It  is  distinctly  understood  that  this  associa- 
tion shall  have  no  ecclesiastical  authority. 

6th.  At  each  meeting  of  this  association  there 
shall  be  elected  by  ballot  a  moderator,  recording  secre- 
tary, corresponding  secretary,  treasurer,  and  eleven 

124 


The  General  Association  Constituted — 1837  125 

managers,  who  shall  constitute  a  board  of  directors 
for  the  management  of  all  the  business  of  this  associa- 
tion during  the  recess  of  its  annual  meetings,  and 
annually  report  to  the  same  their  proceedings. 

7th.  The  moderator,  secretaries  and  treasurer 
shall  perform  the  duties  usually  performed  by  such 
officers  in  similar  associations. 

8th.  All  associations  contributing  to  this,  and 
co-operating  in  its  designs,  shall  be  considered  aux- 
iliary to  it. 

9th.  A  general  agent  may  be  appointed  by  the 
association  or  board  of  managers,  whose  duty  it  shall 
be  to  survey  all  the  destitution,  the  means  of  supply, 
etc.,  and  report  regularly  to  the  board,  so  as  to  enable 
them  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  destitute.  He  shall 
also  raise  funds,  and  in  every  practical  way  promote 
the  designs  of  the  association,  for  which  he  shall  re- 
ceive a  reasonable  support. 

10th.  Any  visiting  brethren  in  good  standing,  as 
such  shall  be  entitled  to  sit  in  counsel  in  the  annual 
session  of  this  association,  but  shall  not  have  the  right 
to  vote. 

11th.  The  annual  meetings  of  this  association 
shall  be  on  Saturday  before  the  third  Lord's  Day 
in  October. 

12th.  This  constitution  may  be  amended  or 
altered  (the  5th  article  excepted)  at  any  annual 
meeting  by  a  concurrence  of  two-thirds  of  the  mem- 
bers present. 

Under  this  constitution  the  General  Association  of 
Baptists  of  Kentucky  was  now  fully  organized  by  the 
election  of  George  Waller,  Moderator;  James  E,  Tyler, 
recording  secretary;  John  L.  Waller,  corresponding 
secretary ;  and  Charles  Quiry,  treasurer.  A  committee 
to  nominate  a  board  of  managers,  at  least  ten  of  whom 
should  be  located  in  or  near  Louisville,  presented  the 
following  names,  which  were  confirmed  by  the  asso- 
ciation: B.  F.  Farnsworth,  Wm.  Colgan,  C.  Vanbus- 
kirk,  T.  R.  Parent,  W.  C.  Buck,  E.  A.  Bennett,  John 
B.  Whitman,  J.  C.  Davie,  W.  Vaughan,  G.  C.  Sed- 
wick,  and  James  M.  Pendleton. 


12G        Kcniucl-u  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

"The  association  was  composed  of  fifty-seven 
members,  twenty  of  whom  were  ordained  preachers, 
one  a  licensed  preacher,  and  the  remaining  thirty-six 
private  church  members.  The  visiting  brethren 
present  were  Elder  Alfred  Bennett,  agent  of  the 
Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions;  Elder  Noah 
Flood,  of  Missouri ;  Silas  Webb,  M.  D.,  of  Alabama ; 
Elder  T,  G.  Keene,  of  Philadelphia  (now  Doctor 
Keene,  of  Hopkinsville,  Kentucky)  ;  and  Elder  R.  B. 
C.  Howell,  of  Nashville,  Tennessee. 

"This  was  not  a  large  meeting,  yet  it  was  one  of 
very  great  importance  to  the  Kentucky  Baptists.  It 
was  destined  to  inaugurate  a  line  of  policy  so  different 
from  that  which  had  been  pursued  from  the  planting 
of  the  first  churches  in  the  West  as  to  almost  amount 
to  a  revolution  in  the  practice  of  the  denomination 
in  the  state."     (Spencer,  Vol.  I,  p.  666 f.) 

The  "General  Association"  struck  a  more  recep- 
tive chord  than  the  "State  Convention"  had  done,  as 
its  history  demonstrates. 

The  brethren  were  not  so  afraid  of  the  name 
Association  as  they  were  of  the  name  Convention. 
They  already  had  district  associations,  and  were  used 
to  the  word,  so  they  accepted  the  term  ' '  General  Asso- 
ciation." Thus  Doctor  Noel  succeeded  in  getting  the 
state  work  organized.  Of  course  there  were  others 
who  labored  faithfully  with  Doctor  Noel  to  effect  this 
organization. 

When  the  General  Association  was  constituted  in 
1837  there  were  28,142  Baptists  in  Kentucky.  Spencer 
in  his  Jubilee  Address  "  Jubilee  Volume"  (p.  22)  says : 

"From  a  membership  of  45,442  comprised  in  34 
associations  and  614  churches  in  1829,  the  Baptists 
of  Kentucky  had  been  reduced  to  39,263  .members, 
organized  in  43  associations  and  664  churches.  Of 
these  about  11,127  were  anti-missionaries,  leaving  only 
28,142  nominal  missionaries — a  number  less  than  that 
of  the  Methodists,  and  hardly  equaling  that  of  the 
Campbellites.  While  they  were  being  swallowed  up 
by  their  prosperous  and  enthusiastic  rival  sects  with- 


The  General  Assocuition  Constituted — 1837       127 


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128        Kentucky  Baptist  Hidory— 1770-1922 


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The  General  Association  Constituted — 1837  129 

out,  they  were  consuming  themselves  by  perpetual 
discord  and  strife  within.  The  churches  were  in  a 
large  measure  destitute  of  the  ministry  of  the  word, 
without  which  any  considerable  measure  of  prosperity 
is  hopeless.  The  whole  number  of  preachers  was  esti- 
mated at  two  hundred.  *0f  these,'  says  Mr,  Buck, 
*  not  more  than  one-third  were  employed. '  According 
to  this  estimate  there  were  about  ten  churches  for 
every  preacher  actually  engaged  in  the  work.  Of 
these  faithful  laborers,  Mr.  Buck  says:  'There  was 
not  one  settled  pastor  in  Kentucky,  nor  one  minister 
supported,  and  not  one  pastoral  laborer  except  in  the 
Louisville  church.'  The  preachers  were  compelled  to 
engage  in  some  secular  occupation  for  a  support,  and 
as  a  rule  could  preach  at  most  only  on  Saturdays  and 
Sundays,  By  this  means  less  than  half  of  the 
churches  could  be  supplied  with  Saturday  and  Sun- 
day preaching  once  a  month," 

The  outlook  that  faced  our  brethren  in  1837  when 
they  organized  the  General  Association  was  decidedly 
gloomy,  but  they  were  men  of  faith  and  courage.  The 
General  Association  of  Baptists  in  Kentucky  now  has 
a  membership  of  269,000  and  1,886  churches. 

We  give  below  the  historical  table  of  the  General 
Association  of  Baptists  in  Kentucky  for  its  eighty-five 
years  of  glorious  achievements. 


CHAPTER  XII 

The  Gospel  Mission  Deflection — 1894* 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  author  does  not  say 
' '  Gospel  Mission  Split, "  but  "  Deflection. ' '  The  split 
has  not  yet  taken  place,  but  will  come  sooner  or 
later.  Just  as  the  "Hardshells"  had  to  be  removed 
from  our  churches  for  the  sake  of  peace  and  harmony, 
and  for  the  progress  of  the  kingdom,  so  the  "Gospel 
Missioners, "  which  is  only  another  name  for  "Hard- 
shells,  ' '  will  have  to  be  eliminated  for  the  same  reason. 
It  is  not  the  numbers  but  the  spirit  of  the  "Gospel 
Missioners"  that  will  make  this  necessary.  Their 
numbers  are  insignificant,  but  the  spirit  of  this  move- 
ment is  bad. 

They  have  already  reached  the  point  where  they 
call  all  of  our  Baptist  people  "liars,"  "thieves," 
"murderers,"  etc.     In  the  Baptist  Flag,  the  organ 


*  Statement  of  Don  Singletary,  M.  D.,  Clinton,  Ky. 

(The  author  sent  a  copy  of  this  manuscript  to  Doctor 
Singletary,  and  asked  him  to  read  carefully  the  chapter  on 
"The   Gospel  Mission  Deflection."     Following  is  his   answer.) 

Clinton,  Ky.,  February  7,  1922. 
Elder  Wm.  D.  Nowlin: 

My  Dear  Brother: — I  have  read  and  re-read  your  manu- 
script, chapter  XII  of  Kentucky  Baptist  History  on  Gospel 
Missions  with  much  interest.  I  have  all  the  West  Kentucky 
Association  minutes  now  before  me,  and  have  just  read  and 
re-read  them  as  to  the  beginning  of  the  Gospel  Mission  Plan 
in  Kentucky.  They  show  that  your  history  states  the  facts, 
and  is  in  full  accord  with  their  own  statements  as  written  and 
published  by  themselves. 

I  was  also  present  at  every  meeting  of  the  association  and 
took  part  in  their  plan  several  years. 

Please  send  me  a  copy  of  your  Kentucky  Baptist  History 
as  soon  as  it  is  published. 

Your  friend  and  brother, 

(Signed)  Don  Sinqletaey,  M.  D. 
130 


The  Gospel  Mission  Deflection — 1894        131 

of  the  Landmark  Gospel  Missioners,  of  April  29,  1920, 
a  correspondent  named  Calvin  Gregory  of  Pleasant 
Shade,  Tennessee,  in  a  page  and  a  half  of  the  vilest 
abuse  he  could  heap  on  the  Baptists  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention,  says:  " Conventionism  will  stop 
at  nothing  short  of  murder.  It  will  misrepresent, 
it  will  practice  deception  and  fraud,  it  will  rob  the 
people,  it  will  lie,  it  will  embezzle  the  funds  of  the 
people,  it  is  one  of  the  greatest  grafting  machines 
ever  known  among  the  people."  And  to  show  that 
this  is  not  simply  an  individual  feeling  of  Mr. 
Gregory's  on  reading  the  above  slanderous  charges 
against  the  Baptists  of  the  South,  this  author  wrote 
a  note  which  appeared  in  the  Baptist  Flag,  July  22, 
1920,  calling  attention  to  these  awful  charges,  think- 
ing it  would  provoke  an  apology.  Here  is  the  note: 
"One  Calvin  Gregory  in  the  Flag  says:  'Conven- 
tionism  will  lie,  steal,  misrepresent,  and  will  stop  at 
nothing  short  of  murder.'  Now,  of  course,  what  he 
means  by  *  Conventionism '  is  those  who  are  members 
of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention.  For  an  'ism' 
cannot  lie,  steal,  nor  murder.  He  says  they  'will  not 
stop  short  of  murder.'  Then  if  they  will  not  stop 
short  of  murder,  they  will  go  as  far  as  to  commit 
murder.  Not  to  stop  short  of  murder  means  to  com- 
mit murder.  Any  intelligent  person  will  admit  that 
this  is  the  meaning  of  this  language.  Murder  is  re- 
garded as  the  worst  crime  man  can  commit,  and  there- 
fore receives  the  highest  penalty — capital  punishment. 
No  set  of  criminals  can  be  worse  than  those  who  lie, 
steal  and  murder.  So,  Brother  Gregory  says,  in  effect, 
that  those  Baptists  who  belong  to  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention  are  the  worst  criminals  on  earth,  and 
deserve  to  be  executed.  This  is  the  plain,  legitimate 
meaning  of  his  language. 

' '  May  our  Father  richly  reward  his  faithful  saints 
who  are  laboring  earnestly  and  faithfully — giving 
their  time  and  money  to  extend  his  kingdom  to  the 
uttermost  parts  of  the  earth,  who  suffer  such  slander 
and  persecution ;  and  may  he  forgive  our  enemies  who 


132       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

so  slander  us.  God's  richest  blessings  on  those  who 
love  truth  and  hate  slander."  Signed,  Wm.  D. 
Nowlin. 

But  instead  of  an  apology  the  editor,  T.  F.  Moore, 
answers  the  above  in  the  same  issue  in  the  following 
language:  "Brother  Gregory  does  not  accuse  you, 
neither  any  other  convention  man  directly,  as  guilty 
of  the  things  named,  and  yet  you,  with  all  who  affiliate 
with  conventionism,  are  guilty  of  many,  if  not  all,  the 
things  charged."  He  not  only  includes  this  author 
in  person  by  saying  ''you,"  but  includes  every  mem- 
ber in  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  saying  ''you, 
with  all  who  affiliate  with  conventionism."  "You  are 
guilty  of  many,  if  not  all."  Again,  in  the  Flag  of 
August  5,  1920,  a  writer  signing  himself  "Elder  W. 
H.  Moser,  Clifton,  Tenn., "  says,  referring  to  "the 
article  written  by  Brother  Wm.  D.  Nowlin  in  the 
Flag  of  July  22, 1920,  in  his  comment  on  what  Brother 
Gregory  said  about  conventionism.  Now  I  am  going 
to  take  sides  with  Brother  Gregory.  I  now  make  the 
assertion  that  conventionism  will  do  anything  to  carry 
out  its  purpose."  You  will  observe  that  this  writer, 
as  well  as  Editor  Moore,  endorses  all  that  Gregory 
has  said,  that  is,  that  * '  all  affiliated  with  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention ' '  will ' '  lie, "  "  steal, "  "  embezzle, ' ' 
"rob,"  "deceive,"  "murder."  In  the  same  issue 
with  the  above  is  the  following  by  W.  C.  Benson, 
Mangum,  Okla. :  * '  We  heartily  endorse  Brother 
Clark's  write  up  with  regard  to  Oakley.  If  Brother 
Clark  is  not  right  with  regard  to  this  seventy-five 
million  drive  being  hatched  up  by  the  devil,  we  do 
not  know  what  truth  means."  Daniel  Parker,  John 
Taylor  and  Alexander  Campbell  never  said  worse 
things  about  the  Baptists,  in  their  fight  against  mis- 
sions, than  those  above.  The  above  are  but  samples 
of  the  abuse  heaped  upon  the  Baptists  by  the  so-called 
"Gospel  Missioners." 

This  is  the  reason  why  I  say  the  split  will  come 
and  should  come.  No  self-respecting  people  can  keep 
in  their  membership  those  who  call  them  "liars," 


The  Gospel  Mission  Deflection — 1894        133 

"thieves,"  "embezzlers,"  " murderers,"  etc.  And  if 
they  who  say  those  things  were  sincere  and  had  any 
self-respect,  they  would  not  stay  in  the  churches  with 
such  people.  However,  when  they  are  put  out  they 
are  going  to  die,  as  did  the  "Hardshells"  of  nearly 
a  century  ago.  The  same  anti-mission  spirit  which 
causes  them  to  hate  Baptists  because  of  their  mission 
zeal  and  success  will  keep  them  from  building  church 
houses,  paying  pastors  and  sending  out  and  support- 
ing missionaries,  which  ultimately  means  death.  These 
gospel  missioners  deny  that  they  are  opposed  to  mis- 
sions, as  such,  that  they  only  oppose  mission  methods. 
That  is  exactly  the  plea  made  by  Alexander  Camp- 
bell, John  Taylor  and  Daniel  Parker  when  they  began 
their  fight  against  Baptist  missions  one  hundred  years 
ago;  but  time  has  demonstrated  the  fact  that  the 
malady  was  deeper  than  "methods."  They  soon  went 
to  the  logical  conclusion  of  their  position  and  fought 
missions  outright. 

Gospel  Missions  in  Its  Beginning  in  Kentucky 
This  author  is  well  informed  as  to  the  beginning 
of  Gospel  Missions  in  Kentucky.    During  the  years  of 

1893,  1894  and  1895  he  was  pastor  at  Hickman,  Ken- 
tucky. Elder  J.  N.  Hall  was  then  editing  the  Baptist 
Flag  at  Fulton,  Kentucky.  At  this  time  Mrs.  C.  E. 
Kerr,  Decatur,  Georgia,  was  publishing  a  small  sheet 
called  "The  Missionary  Helper,"  which  was  advocat- 
ing Gospel  Missions.  Hall  frequently  quoted  with 
approval  this  paper,  and  finally  suggested  that  the 
West  Kentucky  Association,  of  which  both  of  our 
churches  were  members,  adopt  and  support  an  inde- 
pendent missionary,  in  addition  to  what  we  were  doing 
through  the  regular  channels.  At  Spring  Hill  at  the 
meeting  of  the  West  Kentucky  Association  in  October, 

1894,  the  first  definite  action  was  taken  towards 
Gospel  Missions  in  Kentucky. 

In  October,  1918,  the  author  wrote  to  Dr.  Don 
Singletary,  of  Clinton,  Kentucky,  the  moderator  of 
the  West  Kentucky  Association,  to  know  if  he  could 
furnish  minutes  of  the  association,  or  information  as 


134       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

to  the  first  committee  appointed,  consisting  of  Hall, 
Bogard  and  Nowlin,  to  employ  and  look  after  the 
support  of  an  independent  foreign  missionary.  On 
October  26,  1918,  the  author  received  the  following 
letter  from  Doctor  Singletary:  "My  Dear  Doctor 
Nowlin,  your  letter  of  inquiry  came  in  due  time,  and 
I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  produce  you  some  information. 
I  have  attended  every  association  of  west  Kentucky, 
and  have  the  minutes  of  every  meeting.  The  time 
was  October  9  and  10,  1895,  at  Liberty  Church.  J.  F. 
Cargill,  of  Macon,  Georgia,  was  present  and  preached. 
J,  N.  Hall  had  invited  him  and  tried  hard  to  get  us 
to  employ  him.  Hall  read  a  report  of  Gospel  Missions 
and  it  was  discussed  freely,  amended,  and  the  next 
morning  the  10th,  the  whole  thing  was  tabled  as  shown 
in  the  minutes,  but  that  report  is  not  in  the  minutes 
because  it  was  tabled.  Nor  is  the  committee  of  Hall, 
Bogard  and  Nowlin  mentioned ;  neither  is  Hall 's  offer 
to  be  one  of  one  hundred  to  pay  $5.00  each  year  for 
an  independent  missionary.  Yet  I  am  sure  the  latter 
was  made  and  discussed.  (I  am  sure  of  it,  too,  for 
I  agreed  to  be  one  of  the  one  hundred — Nowlin.)  In 
these  discussions  my  memory  is,  that  the  Gospel  Mis- 
sion plan  was  not  in  any  way  to  interfere  with,  or  to 
lessen,  our  board  work ;  and  that  Gospel  Missions  and 
money  designated  to  it  were  to  have  a  place  in  our 
minutes  hereafter. 

"The  next  year  at  Arlington  W.  H.  Williams  read 
the  Gospel  Mission  report,  and  it  is  printed.  I  will 
quote  some  of  the  points.  'One  of  the  oldest  mis- 
sionaries in  China,  T.  P.  Crawford,  is  laboring  under 
this  plan.'  'There  need  be  no  friction  between  the 
two  plans. '  '  Churches  have  a  right  to  designate  their 
funds.'  'On  this  plan  we  now  have  twenty  mission- 
aries in  the  foreign  field.'  On  this  arrangement  I 
contributed  to  both  plans,  and  increased  my  giving 
and  my  increase  went  to  Gospel  Missions. 

' '  In  1904  at  Columbus,  T.  A.  Cross  in  Gospel  Mis- 
sion report  says:  'We  have  about  twenty-seven  mis- 
sionaries in  the  foreign  fields,'  naming  'China,  Peru, 


The  Gospel  Mission  Deflection — 1894        135 

Mexico,  Cuba,  and  Syria. '  In  1917  this  same  brother, 
T.  A.  Cross,  in  Gospel  Mission  report,  says:  'T.  L. 
Blalock,  Tai  An  Fu  Shantung,  China,  is  our  only 
real  active  worker  on  the  foreign  field.'  They  have 
lost  ground  rapidly  and  done  much  harm  to  our  cause 
in  West  Kentucky  Association.  About  three-fourths 
of  our  churches  claim  Gospel  Mission  plan  and  do 
almost  nothing."     Signed,  Don  Singletary. 

The  author  then  wrote  Doctor  Singletary  to  look 
in  the  minutes  of  1894  and  he  would  find  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  committee.  On  November  1,  1918,  Doctor 
Singletary  replies  as  follows :  ' '  Dear  Doctor  Nowlin : 
As  to  Gospel  Missions,  you  are  right.  The  previous 
year  at  Spring  Hill  Church,  October  10,  11,  12,  1894, 
Ben  M.  Bogard  read  the  report  on  foreign  missions 
in  which  he  said,  'There  are  two  plans — convention 
plan — the  other  Gospel  Missions  which  is  led  by  T.  P. 
Crawford,  G.  P.  Bostic,  D.  W.  Herring  and  others.' 
Further  he  asks  that  '  Our  association  takes  a  decided 
advance  step'  and  recommended  that  'This  associa- 
tion employ  a  missionary  as  soon  as  arrangements  can 
be  made;  and  this,  too,  in  addition  to  the  work  we 
already  have  on  hand.'  A  committee  was  appointed 
for  this  new  plan,  consisting  of  'Ben  M.  Bogard, 
W.  D.  Nowlin,  J.  N.  Hall,'  'to  look  after  the  employ- 
ment and  support  of  a  foreign  missionary'  on  Gospel 
Mission  plan  mentioned  in  report.  This  covers  every 
point  you  ask  for,  I  think.  I  quote  the  points  in 
Bogard 's  report  as  printed  that  cover  the  beginning, 
but  I  skip  many  sentences  not  to  the  point. ' '  Signed, 
Don  Singletary. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  facts  that 
"Gospel  Missions"  was  considered  the  first  time  in 
a  Baptist  association  in  Kentucky  in  October,  1894, 
and  that  the  author  of  this  history  was  a  member  of 
the  first  committee  ever  appointed  by  a  Baptist  body 
in  Kentucky  to  select  and  look  after  the  support  of  a 
gospel  missionary;  and  yet  the  author  has,  all  the 
while,  been  lined  up  with  our  organized  work.  The 
other  members  of  the  committee,  Bogard  and  Hall, 


136       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

were  also  lined  up  with  the  organized  work  at  this 
time.  Bogard  was  pastor  of  the  Fulton  Baptist 
Church,  a  church  in  line  with  our  organized  work. 
J.  N,  Hall  was  a  member  of,  and  a  liberal  contributor 
to,  this  church  and  its  work,  including  missions. 
These  facts  show  that  "Gospel  Missions"  did  not 
mean  then  what  the  term  means  now. 

What  Has  It  Accomplished? 

The  Baptist  Flag  of  Fulton,  Kentucky,  is  the 
exponent  of  this  cult,  so  I  shall  let  it  speak. 

Here  is  their  Missionary  Directory  as  published 
July  29,  1920,  in  the  Flag: 

Mission  Directory 

FOREIGN  missions 

Eld.  T.  L.  Blalock,  Helton,  N.  C. 
At  present  no  one  on  China  field,  but  will  sail 
with  helpers  the  coming  summer.* 

HOME   MISSIONS 

H.  A.  Roshto,  Pineville,  La. 
H.  D.  Clift,  Maury  City,  Tenn. 
S.  W.  Joyner,  Hollow  Rock,  Tenn, 
C.  B.  Massey,  Pleasant  Shade,  Tenn. 
Calvin  Gregory,  Pleasant  Shade,  Tenn. 
A.  G.  Stinson,  Pleasant  Shade,  Tenn. 

GENERAL   MISSIONARIES 

T.  F.  Moore,  Fulton,  Ky. 

J.  N.  Joyner,  Westport,  Tenn. 

ORPHANAGE 

Mrs.  Jennie  Lamas,  Mariel,  Cuba. 

Treasurer 
T.  A.  Cross,  Bardwell,  Ky. 

"Those  wanting  to  send  direct  to  the  missionary 
can  do  so,  as  it  is  your  privilege,  but  our  treasurer, 


*  Note— Later  the  Flag  reported  that  T.  L.  Blalock  had 
returned  with  helpers. 


The  Gospel  Mission  Deflection — 1894        137 

T.  A.  Cross,  sends  every  cent  as  directed,  and  is  not 
a  toll  station  to  toll  your  funds.  We  donate  to  him 
during  the  year,  and  all  should  help."  It  will  be 
observed  that  all  are  urged  to  help  pay  the  treasurer, 
T.  A.  Cross. 

The  above  shows  that  they  have  hut  one  foreign 
missionary  and  he  is  not  on  the  foreign  field  at  this 
writing.  "Home  Missionaries"  are  men  who  have 
simply  the  "recommendation"  of  the  Gospel  Mission 
Association  without  salary. 

The  following  from  J.  A.  Scarboro,  one  of  their 
leaders,  taken  from  the  Flag  of  November  25,  1915, 
shows  in  what  sense  they  are  missionaries.  Elder 
Scarboro  says: 

"I  am  on  a  little  farm  in  the  piney  woods  of 

Georgia Stripped   of   everything   I   possessed 

and  compelled  to  sell  books  and  furniture  to  get  here, 

we  came  last  spring  and  have  farmed  this  year 

All  of  us  have  labored  in  the  field,   including  my 

devoted  wife  and  little  children I  never  spent 

a  year  in  my  life  with  a  heavier  burden  on  my 
heart I  was  compelled  to  do  so.  At  the  Gen- 
eral Association  I  was  'recommended  as  a  missionary 
to  cut  his  own  hay  as  he  went.'     Anybody  can  be  a 

missionary  on  that  basis I  could  have  done 

state  mission  work,  or  editorial  work,  or  any  sort  of 
work,  but  nobody  seemed  to  want  me,  or  if  they  did, 
they  did  not  say  so.  And  so  I  left  because  I  had  to. 
And  so  I  have  spent  the  year,  much  of  it  in  the  cotton 

field We  have  a  few  Landmark  Baptists  with 

much  means,  and  the  few  we  have  are  scared  half  to 
death  if  they  think  they  will  lose  a  hundred  dollars. 
It  is  pitiful  and  sickening  to  a  man  who  sees  oppor- 
tunities and   wants  to   do   something Letters 

continue  to  pour  in,  asking  me  to  go  here  and  there 
all  over  the  South,  and  seven  out  of  ten  of  them  say 
little  or  nothing  about  expenses.  God  pity  our  people 
and  our  cause.  Why  ask  men  to  perform  impossi- 
bilities? If  I  were  called  upon  to  prescribe  for  the 
Landmarkers,  I  would  say,  Get  religion  enough  to 


138       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

support  the  workers.  I  have  read  appeals  and  begging 
for  funds  to  support  a  few  missionaries  among  them 
until  my  very  soul  is  sick  of  it.  I  will  never  beg 
another  Landmarker  to  do  anything  for  me  or  any- 
body else.  To  urge  a  man  to  go  out  as  a  missionary 
and  then  advertise  him  as  ready  to  starve  for  want 
of  a  pittance  out  of  our  abundance  to  support  him  is 
scandalous.  Self-respecting  men  have  no  respect  for 
a  people  who  will  do  that  sort  of  a  thing.  We  have 
a  faithful  few  among  us,  but  there  is  an  army  of 
people  who  call  themselves  Landmarkers  who  are  not 
worth  two  beans  in  any  cause.  They  sadden  and 
sicken  the  heart  to  contemplate  them.  Brethren,  let's 
do  mission  work,  or  take  that  label  off  our  name  and 
just  say  we  do  not  believe  in  missions.  Let's  be 
truthful." 

This  wail  of  the  strongest  man  among  the  kickers 
against  God's  mission  work,  as  the  Baptist  churches 
are  doing  it  through  their  organized  channels, 
reiterates  what  has  often  been  said,  that  the  objections 
to  conventions  and  boards — with  few  exceptions — are 
hypocritical  excuses  for  doing  nothing.  Scarboro  cer- 
tainly tells  the  truth — turns  ' '  state 's  evidence. ' ' 

This  movement  is  led  by  a  bunch  of  disgruntled 
would-be  leaders,  who  kick  the  leaders  and  lead  the 
kickers. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  ' '  General  Association 
of  Landmark  Gospel  Mission  Baptists  of  the  United 
States  of  America"  has  one  paid  missionary.  The 
others  only  have  the  endorsement  or  ''recommenda- 
tion of  the  General  Association  to  cut  his  own  hay  as 
he  goes."  And  Scarboro  adds,  "Anybody  can  be  a 
missionary  on  that  basis."    So  he  can. 

The  following  from  a  Flag  editorial  February  5, 
1920,  is  in  harmony  with  the  above.  "Perhaps  not 
one  church  in  all  our  fields  is  able  or  willing  to  try 
it  alone  in  sending  a  missionary  either  into  the  home 
or  the  foreign  field.  Why  not  unite  our  forces  and 
funds  and  keep  alive  one  or  two  in  both  fields  ? ' '  The 
editorial  only  suggests  trying  to  "keep  alive  one  or 


The  Gospel  Mission  Deflection — ISOi        139 

two  (missionaries)  on  both  fields."  It  doesn't  sug- 
gest anything  more  than  "keeping  alive  one  or  two" 
missionaries  and  this  clearly  implies  that  they  are 
not  now  doing  that. 

T.  A.  Cross,  in  his  report  to  the  West  Kentucky 
Association,  1904,  says,  "We  have  about  twenty-seven 
missionaries  in  the  foreign  fields. ' '  In  1917  this  same 
brother,  Cross,  in  his  report  on  Gospel  Missions  to 
the  West  Kentucky  Association,  says,  "T.  L.  Blalock, 
China,  is  our  only  real  active  worker  on  the  foreign 
field."  In  a  little  more  than  a  dozen  years  they  have 
gone  from  twenty-seven  foreign  missionaries  to  one, 
according  to  their  own  report. 

This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  in  the  beginning  the 
Gospel  Missioners  did  not  fight  the  organized  work  of 
the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  but  claimed  that 
their  work  was  "in  addition  to  the  organized  work," 
and  in  this  way  they  had  the  help  of  many  loyal 
Baptists  such  as  Doctor  Singletary  and  this  writer, 
who  contributed  to  this  cause  to  encourage  many  who 
were  doing  practically  nothing  for  missions ;  but  when 
they  began  to  draw  the  lines  and  fight  the  organized 
work  and  vilify  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention 
these  withdrew  their  support  and  you  see  how  they 
dropped  from  twenty-seven  foreign  missionaries  to 
one.    That  is  the  progress  they  have  made. 

They  have  also  made  progress  in  their  position  on 
missions.  In  the  first  report  on  this  work,  October, 
1894,  made  by  Ben  M.  Bogard,  he  says  "there  are  two 
plans — convention  plan  and  gospel  mission  plan." 
In  1896  W.  H.  Williams  says,  "There  need  be  no  fric- 
tion between  the  two  plans." 

At  the  time  J.  N.  Hall  urged  the  appointment  of 
an  independent  missionary  by  the  West  Kentucky 
Association  he  was  contributing  to  the  regular  or- 
ganized work  through  the  Fulton  Baptist  Church,  and 
for  many  years  after  was  a  member  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention.  Minutes  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention  for  1902  (p.  4)  show  "  J.  N.  Hall,  Fulton, 
Kentucky,"  a  registered  messenger  on  the  financial 


140       Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

basis.  He  was  a  member  of  the  General  Association 
of  Baptists  in  Kentucky  when  he  died.  They  have 
now  reached  the  point  where,  instead  of  saying  "there 
are  two  plans ' '  and  * '  there  need  be  no  friction  between 
the  two  plans ' '  they  say  ' '  conventionism  is  one  of  the 
greatest  grafting  machines  ever  known  among  the 
masses,"  and  "an  unbaptistic  robbing  machine." 
They  also  say  "all  who  are  affiliated  with  convention- 
ism" are  guilty  of  "lying,"  "stealing,"  "robbing," 
"embezzlement,"  "deceiving,"  "murdering,"  etc. 
The  attacks  made  by  the  Gospel  Missioners  on  the 
Baptists  are  far  more  vicious  and  bitter  than  those 
made  by  the  Hardshells  nearly  a  century  ago,  and  of 
which  history  gives  account. 

The  Gospel  Missioners,  so  far  as  the  author  knows, 
have  no  organization  in  Kentucky.  They  have  an 
association  called  "Kentucky-Tennessee  Association," 
which  is  composed  of  a  small  following  in  a  few  west 
Kentucky  churches  and  a  few  in  Tennessee.  The 
minutes  of  this  association  for  September  15  and  16, 
1920  (pp.  1  and  2),  show  twenty-seven  churches  rep- 
resented by  messengers,  but  a  note  by  the  clerk  just 
following  the  list  says,  "Not  all  the  above  named 
messengers  were  present,"  so  we  do  not  know  how 
many  churches  were  really  represented  by  messengers 
in  this  meeting. 

Their  general  organization  is  "The  General  Asso- 
ciation of  Gospel  Mission  Landmark  Baptists  of  the 
United  States  of  America,"  with  headquarters  at 
Texarkana,  Ark.-Tex.  They  have  made  several 
changes  in  their  title  within  the  last  few  years. 
Minutes  of  the  meeting  of  December  7  to  10,  1920, 
held  with  Nebo  church.  Bay  Springs,  Miss.,  says: 
"The  messengers  of  the  churches  composing  the  Bap- 
tist General  Association  of  the  United  States."  At 
this  same  meeting,  as  recorded  on  page  5,  the  word 
"Missionary"  was  added  to  their  title.  We  notice 
that  the  words  "Gospel  Missioners"  and  "Land- 
markers,"  made  so  prominent  in  their  beginning,  are 
entirely  eliminated  from  their  minutes  of  1920.    They 


The  Gospel  Mission  Deflection — 1894        141 

object  to  conventions,  and  so  have  an  association 
claiming  more  territory  than  any  Baptist  convention 
in  America.  They  object  to  a  mission  board,  and  so 
have  a  "Mission  Committee"  performing  all  the 
functions  of  a  board.  They  decline  to  have  a  corre- 
sponding secretary,  but  have  a  "Mission  Treasurer" 
to  perform  the  duties  of  a  corresponding  secretary. 
They  criticize  the  salary  paid  by  the  convention  to 
their  foreign  mission  corresponding  secretary,  and 
yet  they  pay  their  mission  treasurer  far  more  in  pro- 
portion to  the  business  done — the  money  handled  and 
missionaries  supported — than  the  convention  pays. 
They  claim  that  there  is  no  scriptural  authority  for 
a  "Southern  Baptist  Convention,"  but  that  there  is 
scriptural  authority  for  a  "General  Association  of 
Missionary  Baptist  Churches  of  America."  It  is  not 
the  author's  business  to  try  to  explain  the  inconsis- 
tencies of  these  claims,  but  to  state  them.  The  spirit 
that  dominates  Gospel  Missions  is  not  the  spirit  that 
sends  out  missionaries  and  supports  them. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

The  Whitsitt  Controversy — 1896* 

What  is  known  as  *'The  Whitsitt  Controversy" 
began  in  the  spring  of  1896.  Doctor  Whitsitt  wrote 
an  article  on  the  Baptists  for  Johnson 's  Encyclopedia, 
in  which  he  set  forth  his  theory  that  the  English  Bap- 
tists did  not  begin  to  baptize  by  immersion  until  1641, 
when  a  part  of  the  Anabaptists,  as  they  were  then 
called,  began  immersion.  Doctor  Whitsitt  in  this 
article  used  language  which  many  Baptists  interpreted 
to  mean  that  immersion  as  a  Christian  ordinance  was 
started  at  that  time.  It  is  but  fair  to  Doctor  Whitsitt, 
however,  to  say  that  he  in  the  introduction  to  his  book 
"A  Question  in  Baptist  History,"  a  book  called  out 
by  the  controversy,  says :  * '  Immersion  as  a  religious 
rite  was  practiced  by  John  the  Baptist  about  the  year 
30  of  our  era,  and  was  solemnly  enjoined  by  our 
Saviour  upon  all  his  ministers  to  the  end  of  time.  No 
other  observance  was  in  use  for  baptism  in  New  Testa- 
ment times.  The  practice,  though  some  times  greatly 
perverted,  has  yet  been  continued  from  the  apostolic 
age  down  to  our  own.  As  I  understand  the  scriptures, 
immersion  is  essential  to  Christian  baptism." 


*  The  author  furnished  copies  of  this  chapter,  exactly  as 
it  stands,  to  three  of  our  leading  preachers  and  scholars  who 
saw  the  "Whitsitt  controversy"  from  different  viewpoints,  ask- 
ing that  they  read  it  carefully,  make  any  suggestions,  correc- 
tions or  additions  that  they  thought  should  be  made.  Following 
is  the  result: 

Eeply  of  the  Eev.  W.  J.  McGlothlin,  .D.  D.,  Ph.D. 

Hattiesburg,  Miss.,  July  28,  1921. 
Dear  Dr.  Nowlin: 

Without  access  to  the  sources  it  is  of  course  impossible  for 
me  to  pass  on  the  accuracy  of  your  statements.  As  far  as  I 
know  you  have  stated  the  facts  as  they  occurred.     While  a 

142 


The  Whitsitt  Controversy — 1896  143 

Here  is  an  extract  from  the  eueyclopedia  article: 
' '  The  earliest  organized  Baptist  Church  belongs  to  the 

year  1610  or  1611 Ezekiel  Holliman  baptized 

Williams  and  the  rest  of  his  company.  The  ceremony 
was  most  likely  performed  by  sprinkling ;  the  Baptists 
of  England  had  not  adopted  immersion,  and  there  is 
no  reason  which  renders  it  probable  that  Williams 
was  in  advance  of  them."  Doctor  Henry  M.  King 
of  Rhode  Island  pointed  out  this  as  an  attack  on 
the  Baptists,  and  criticized  rather  sharply  Doctor 
Whitsitt 's  position.  Next  Dr.  J.  H.  Spencer,  the 
Kentucky  Baptist  historian,  wrote  an  article  which 
appeared  in  the  Western  Recorder  in  which  he 
strongly  dissented  from  Doctor  Whitsitt 's  position. 
Dr.  T.  T.  Eaton,  editor  of  the  Western  Recorder,  was 
at  this  time  in  Europe,  but  Mrs.  Joe  Eaton  Peck, 
who  had  charge  of  the  paper  in  the  absence  of  her 
brother,  took  up  the  matter  in  the  Recorder  and  most 
vigorously  assailed  Doctor  Whitsitt 's  position,  main- 
taining that  the  Baptists,  under  different  names,  had 
had  a  continuous  history,  and  a  uniform  practice  on 
baptism,  from  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era. 

After  the  return  of  Doctor  Eaton  he  took  up  the 
controversy  and  became  the  leader  of  the  opposition 
to  Doctor  Whitsitt 's  position.  The  friends  of  Doctor 
Whitsitt  (known  in  the  controversy  as  "Whit- 
sittites")  started  and  used  the  Baptist  Argus  as 
an  organ  of  propaganda  and  defense,  while  the  * '  Anti- 
Whitsittites, "  as  they  were  called,  used  the  Western 
Recorder  for  the  same  purpose.  This,  of  course,  made 
the  controversy  all  the  more  bitter  and  personal  in 

reader  could  probably   determine  where  your   sympathies  lie, 

still  it  seems  to  me  that  you  are  fair  and  show  a  good  spirit. 

Cordially  yours, 

W.  J.  McGlothlin. 
Eeply  of  the  Eev.  J.  T.  Christian,  D.  D.,  LL.D. 

Collins,  Miss.,  July  30,  1921. 
Dear  Brother  Nowlin: 

Your  favor  was  forwarded  to  me  here.  I  have  read  the 
chapter.    I  do  not  know  the  setting  of  this  chapter — what  you 


144       Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

Kentucky.  The  disputation  waxed  hot  and  was 
carried  into  churches,  district  associations,  state  con- 
ventions and  finally  into  the  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention. 

Dr.  H.  M.  Dexter  maintained  that  the  idea  was  not 
new  and  pointed  out  that  he  had  held  substantially 
this  position  earlier  than  Doctor  Whitsitt.  In  order 
to  establish  priority  in  this  matter  Doctor  Whitsitt 
claimed  some  anonymous  editorials  which  appeared  in 
the  New  York  Independent  in  1880  as  his  work. 

Dr.  John  T.  Christian,  who  had  already  gotten 
into  the  controversy,  began  to  study  the  files  of  the 
Independent  and  found  other  editorials  in  which  this 
position  was  set  forth  and  in  which  the  Baptists  were 
attacked  very  vigorously. 

From  internal  evidence  Doctor  Christian  decided 
that  Doctor  Whitsitt  had  written  all  of  these  editorials 
and  so  charged  publicly.  Doctor  Whitsitt  acknowl- 
edged the  authorship  of  some  of  the  editorials,  but 
denied  the  others.  There  was  sufficient  material,  how- 
ever, in  those  which  he  acknowledged  to  create  in  the 
minds  of  Baptists  the  most  unfavorable  impression. 
At  this  point  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  of  Texas  wrote  an 
article  in  which  he  set  forth  the  fact  that  when  Doctor 
Whitsitt  acknowledged  that  he  wrote  a  part  of  a 
series  of  editorials  attacking  the  Baptists  he  admitted 
his  guilt  of  the  whole,  pointing  out  the  fact  that  in 
law  a  man  who  helps  to  plan  or  execute  a  murder — 
has  any  part  in  it — is  guilty  of  the  whole — particeps 
criminis. 

may  have  written  in  regard  to  the  parties  concerned  in  other 
parts  of  your  work.     I  might  not  have  said  it  just  as  you 
have,  but  I  do  not  care  to  add  anything. 
Yours  fraternally, 

John  T.  Christian. 

Eeply  of  the  Eev,  W.  W.  Landrum,  D.  D.,  LL.D. 
I  have  been  impressed  with  the  clearness  and  directness  of 
your  statements.     So  far  as  I  recall  the  facts  you  have  stated 
them  fairly  and  impartially  as  they  occurred. 

W.  W.  Landeum. 


The  Whitsitt  Controversy — 1896  145 

We  give  here  some  extracts  from  the  Independent 
editorials  without  expressing  any  opinion,  as  it  is  the 
business  of  the  historian  to  give  facts  and  not  opinions. 
From  the  Independent,  New  York,  September  2,  1880 : 
**The  Congregationalist  speaks  of  the  well-known 
immersion  of  Roger  Williams  by  the  unimmersed 
Ezekiel  Holliman.  To  be  sure  all  the  Baptists  of 
America  so  assume,  but  the  editor  of  the  Congrega- 
tionalist is  more  accurately  acquainted  with  the 
origins  of  Baptist  history  than  any  of  the  Baptists 
themselves,  and  we  expected  that  its  statements  would 
be  more  accurate.  As  we  understand  it,  Roger  Wil- 
liams never  was  a  Baptist  in  the  modern  sense — that 
is,  never  was  immersed,  and  the  ceremony  referred  to 
was  anabaptism,  rebaptism  by  sprinkling,  and  not 
'  Catbaptism, '  or  baptism  by  immersion.  The  baptism 
of  Roger  Williams  is  affirmed  by  Governor  Winthrop 
to  have  taken  place  in  March,  1639.  This,  however, 
was  at  least  two  years  prior  to  the  introduction  of  the 
practice  of  immersion  among  the  Baptists.  Up  to  the 
year  1641  all  Baptists  employed  sprinkling  and  pour- 
ing as  the  mode  of  baptism We  are  inclined  to 

believe  that  no  case  of  immersion  took  place  among 
the  American  Baptists  before  the  year  1644.  It  seems 
likely  that  Roger  Williams,  on  his  return  from  Eng- 
land in  that  year,  brought  the  first  reliable  news  con- 
cerning the  change  which  had  taken  place  in  the  prac- 
tice of  the  English  Baptists,  three  years  before,  and 
that  it  was  then  that  the  American  Baptists  first 
resolved  to  accept  the  innovation." 

This  editorial  was  followed  by  another  September 
9,  1880,  from  which  we  quote  the  following :  **It  was 
not  until  the  year  1644,  three  years  after  the  inven- 
tion of  immersion,  that  any  Baptist  confession  pre- 
scribes 'dipping  or  plunging  the  body  in  water  as  the 
way  and  manner  of  dispensing  the  ordinance'  (Lon- 
don Confession  of  1644,  Article  40).  .  .  .  .  Happily 
for  us,  however,  the  above  assertion  is  confirmed  by 
the  authority  of  Edward  Barber,  the  founder  of  the 
rite  of  immersion  among  the  Baptists." 

10 


146        Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

Doctor  Whitsitt  wrote  three  or  more  articles  in 
which  he  defended  his  claim  that  "1641"  was  the 
date  of  ''the  invention  of  immersion."  One  in  the 
Examiner,  April  23,  1896,  one  in  the  Religious 
Herald,  May  7,  1896,  and  in  his  book  "A  Question  in 
Baptist  History,"  published  September,  1896.  In  the 
Examiner  article,  April  23,  1896,  he  says:  "Dur- 
ing the  autumn  of  1877,  shortly  after  I  had  been  put 
in  charge  of  the  school  of  Church  History  at  the 
Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary,  in  preparing 
my  lectures  on  Baptist  History,  I  made  the  discovery 
that,  prior  to  the  year  1641  our  Baptist  people  in 
England  were  in  the  practice  of  sprinkling  and  pour- 
ing for  baptism.     I  kept  it  to  myself  until  the  year 

1880,  when  I  had  the  happiness  to  spend  my  summer 
vacation  at  the  British  Museum.  There  I  assured 
myself,  largely  by  researches  among  the  King  George 's 
pamphlets,  that  my  discovery  was  genuine,  and  estab- 
lished it  by  many  irrefragable  proofs  from  contem- 
porary documents. ' '  Then  in  this  same  article  Doctor 
Whitsitt  refers  to  Doctor  Dexter 's  claim  to  priority 
on  this  question  in  the  following  language:  "Ap- 
parently Doctor  Dexter  was  interested  by  my  explana- 
tions and  proofs,  for  he  shortly  found  his  way  to  the 
British  Museum  where  he  also  convinced  himself  that 
my  view  was  correct  and  my  citations  authentic.  As 
a  fruit  of  these  researches  he  issued,  near  the  close  of 

1881,  more  than  twelve  months  after  my  discovery 
had  iaeen  declared  in  the  Independent,  the  well-known 
volume  entitled  'John  Smyth  the  Se-Baptist'  wherein 
he  adopted  my  thesis,  defended  it  by  many  citations, 
and  entirely  ignored  my  discovery  as  set  forth  in  the 
Independent This  discovery  is  my  own  con- 
tribution to  Baptist  History,  and  when  my  brethren 
heap  reproaches  upon  me  it  is  nothing  but  right  that 
I  should  defend  my  property." 

A  few  months  later  Doctor  Whitsitt 's  book,  "A 
Question  in  Baptist  History,"  came  off  the  press, 
from  which  I  take  the  following  (p.  133)  :  "In  view 
of  the  foregoing  body  of  materials,  I  candidly  con- 


The  Whitsitt  Controversy — 1896  147 

sider  that  my  proofs  are  sufficient.  This  question  has 
been  confirmed  and  strengthened  by  the  renewed  in- 
vestigation which  I  have  lately  undertaken  in  order 
to  set  forth  these  proofs.  Whatever  else  may  be  true 
in  history,  I  believe  it  is  beyond  question  that  the 
practice  of  adult  immersion  was  introduced  anew  into 
England  in  the  year  1641." 

The  Baptists  of  the  South  very  naturally  asked  the 
question,  * '  Why  should  a  Baptist  holding  the  position 
which  Doctor  Whitsitt  holds  anonymously  attack  the 
Baptist  denomination?"  Doctor  Whitsitt 's  explana- 
tion was  that  he  "wrote  from  a  Pedobaptist  stand- 
point in  order  to  provoke  discussion  and  compel  the 
Baptists  to  study  their  own  history."  This  explana- 
tion might  have  stopped  the  controversy  had  not 
Doctor  Whitsitt  written  a  number  of  articles  and  a 
book,  all  written  from  a  Baptist  standpoint,  to  prove 
his  Independent  editorials  which  "were  written  from 
a  Pedobaptist  standpoint."  It  was  this  that  stirred 
the  Baptists  to  the  depths,  and  not  Doctor  Whitsitt 's 
"writing  from  a  Pedobaptist  standpoint." 

The  controversy  spread  through  the  entire  South, 
and  even  into  the  North,  until  it  was  finally  taken  up 
by  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention.  The  board  of 
trustees  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary 
took  the  following  action  at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  during 
the  sitting  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  and 
which  action  was  reported  to  the  convention  and 
recorded  in  its  minutes. 

The  Wilmington  Action 

The  following  is  an  exact  copy  from  the  minutes : 
A  communication  from  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary  was  presented 
as  information  by  W.  E.  Hatcher,  Virginia.  Where- 
upon it  was  ordered  that  the  communication  be 
printed  in  the  minutes  of  the  convention.  The  trustees 
of  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary, 
assembled  in  their  annual  meeting  at  Wilmington, 
N.  C,  May  6,  1897,  desire  to  submit  to  the  Baptists 


148       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

of  the  South  the  following  statement  in  regard  to  the 
institution  whose  interests  have  been  committed  to 
their  care  and  management. 

1.  That  we  account  this  a  fitting  occasion  to  re- 
affirm our  cordial  and  thorough  adherence  to  the 
fundamental  articles  adopted  at  the  time  when  the 
seminary  was  established,  and  to  assure  those  on 
whose  behalf  we  hold  in  trust  and  administer  the 
affairs  of  this  institution  of  our  steadfast  purpose 
to  require  hereafter,  as  we  have  in  the  past,  that  the 
fundamental  laws  and  scriptural  doctrines  embodied 
in  those  articles  shall  be  faithfully  upheld  by  those 
occupying  chairs  as  teachers. 

2.  That  we  cannot  undertake  to  sit  in  judgment 
on  questions  in  Baptist  history  which  do  not  imperil 
any  of  these  principles,  concerning  which  all  Baptists 
are  agreed,  but  concerning  which  serious,  conscien- 
tious and  scholarly  students  are  not  agreed.  We  can, 
however,  confidently  leave  to  continued  research 
and  discussion  the  satisfactory  solution  of  these 
questions. 

3.  That  believing  the  seminary  to  hold  an  impor- 
tant relation  to  the  prosperity  and  usefulness  of 
southern  Baptists,  we  consider  it  our  duty,  while 
demanding  of  those  in  charge  of  the  departments  of 
instruction  the  utmost  patience  in  research  and  the 
greatest  discretion  in  utterance,  to  foster  rather  than 
repress  the  spirit  of  earnest,  reverent  investigation. 

4.  That  being  fully  assured  that  the  tender  affec- 
tion which  we  cherish  for  this  institution,  founded  by 
our  fathers  and  bequeathed  by  them  to  us,  is  shared 
by  the  Baptists  of  the  South,  we  can  safely  trust  them 
as  we  ask  them  to  trust  us,  to  guard  its  honor,  pro- 
mote its  usefulness  and  pray  for  its  prosperity. 

Upon  the  adoption  of  the  foregoing  statement,  the 
trustees  appointed  a  committee  to  notify  Doctor 
Whitsitt  of  this  action,  and  to  invite  him  to  meet  them 
and  to  make  any  voluntary  statement  he  might  desire. 
Whereupon  Doctor  Whitsitt  appeared  before  the 
board  and  read  the  following  paper : 


The  Whitsitt  Controversy — 1896  149 

Wilmington,  N.  C,  May  7,  1897. 
To  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Theological  Seminary  : 

Dear  Brethren : — I  beg  leave  to  return  sincerest 
and  heartiest  thanks  for  the  noble  and  generous  treat- 
ment that  you  have  bestowed  upon  me.  I  have  only 
words  of  affection  for  every  member  of  the  board. 
After  consulting  with  the  committee  I  have  the  fol- 
lowing to  say: 

1.  That  in  regard  to  the  articles  written  as  edi- 
torials for  the  Independent,  I  have  long  felt  that  it 
was  a  mistake,  and  the  generous  action  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees  renders  it  easy  for  me  to  make  this  state- 
ment. What  I  wrote  was  from  a  Pedobaptist  stand- 
point with  a  view  to  stimulating  historical  research, 
with  no  thought  that  it  would  injure  the  Baptists, 
and  with  no  intention  to  disparage  Baptist  doctrines 
or  practices. 

2.  That  the  article  in  Johnson's  Encyclopedia 
has  probably  passed  beyond  my  control;  but  it  will 
be  very  pleasing  to  me  if  I  can  honorably  procure  the 
elimination  from  it  of  whatsoever  is  offensive  to  any 
of  my  brethren. 

3.  Regarding  the  charge  that  I  expressed  a  con- 
viction that  a  kinswoman  of  mine  ought  to  follow  her 
husband  into  a  Pedobaptist  church,  that  it  was  never 
my  intention  to  indicate  a  belief  that  the  family  out- 
ranked the  Church  of  God.  I  believe  that  obedience 
to  God's  commands  is  above  every  other  human  duty, 
and  that  people  in  every  relation  of  life  ought  to 
obey  God  rather  than  man. 

4.  That  on  the  historical  questions  involved  in  the 
discussion,  I  find  myself  out  of  agreement  with  some 
honored  historians;  but  what  I  have  written  is  the 
outcome  of  patient  and  honest  research,  and  I  can  do 
no  otherwise  than  to  reaffirm  my  convictions  and 
maintain  my  position.  But  if  in  the  future  it  shall 
ever  be  made  to  appear  that  I  have  erred  in  my 
conclusions,  I  would  promptly  and  cheerfully  say  so. 


150       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

I  am  a  searcher  after  truth,  and  will  gladly  hail  every 
helper  in  my  work. 

5.  That  I  cannot  more  strongly  assure  the 
brethren  that  I  am  a  Baptist  than  by  what  I  have 
recently  declared  with  regard  to  the  abstract  of  prin- 
ciples set  forth  in  the  Fundamental  Laws  of  the 
seminary.  I  am  heartily  in  accord  with  my  Baptist 
brethren  in  every  distinctive  principle  that  they  hold. 
My  heart  and  life  are  bound  up  with  the  Baptists, 
and  I  have  no  higher  thought  on  earth  than  to  spend 
my  days  in  their  fellowship  and  service,  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

Wm.  H.  Whitsitt. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  reading  of  the  foregoing 
paper  the  trustees  joined  in  singing: 

"How  firm  a  foundation,  ye  saints  of  the  Lord, 
Is  laid  for  your  faith  in  His  excellent  Word," 

during  which,  amid  flowing  tears  and  many  expres- 
sions of  satisfaction  and  joy,  the  members  of  the  board 
pressed  forward  and  gave  Doctor  Whitsitt  the  hand 
of  fellowship  and  confidence.  The  trustees  then  in- 
structed B.  H.  Carroll  of  Texas  and  W.  E.  Hatcher 
of  Virginia  to  communicate  to  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention  this  action,  and  also  to  give  it  to  the  pub- 
lic press.  Please  bear  in  mind  that  this  statement  is 
made  to  the  convention  for  information  and  not  for 
action. 

(Taken  from  Proceedings  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention,  1897,  pages  14-16.) 

Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll,  Texas,  not  only  refused  to 
accept  the  Wilmington  action,  but  started  the  con- 
troversy afresh.  The  result  of  the  renewed  contro- 
versy was  that  the  opposition  to  Doctor  Whitsitt  was 
greatly  augmented  and  that  state  conventions  began 
taking  action  calling  for  the  removal  of  Doctor  Whit- 
sitt from  the  Theological  Seminary.     However,  we 


The  Whitsitt  Controversy — 1896  151 

are  only  concerned  here  in  so  far  as  the  matter  touches 
Kentucky  Baptist  history. 

In  June  following  the  Wilmington  meeting,  which 
was  in  May,  the  General  Association  of  Baptists  in 
Kentucky  met  in  Georgetown,  during  the  session  of 
which  the  following  action  was  taken: 

The  Georgetown  Action 

The  resolution  of  J.  A.  Booth,  special  order  for 
this  hour,  is  as  follows : 

Whereas,  Dr.  W.  H.  Whitsitt,  President  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary,  reaffirms  his 
belief  in  his  discovery  and  will  continue  to  teach  it; 
and, 

Whereas,  His  course  has  been  such  as  to  place  him 
out  of  touch  and  harmony  with  the  denomination ; 

Resolved,  That  the  trustees  of  the  seminary  from 
Kentucky  be  requested,  and  they  are  hereby  requested, 
to  urge,  insist  upon  and  vote  for  the  retirement  of 
Doctor  Whitsitt  from  the  presidency  of  the  institu- 
tion and  from  the  chair  of  Church  History. 

The  above  resolution  was  voted  on  by  yeas  and 
nays.  The  yeas  were  105,  the  nays  78,  both  of  which 
are  recorded  below: 

(Taken  from  minutes  of  General  Association  of 
Baptists  of  Kentucky,  1897,  page  29.) 

When  the  Booth  resolution  was  called  up  for 
action  in  the  Georgetown  meeting  the  ''Previous 
Question"  was  called  for  and  sustained,  so  the  resolu- 
tion was  voted  on  without  discussion.  Just  following 
the  Georgetown  meeting.  Dr.  Carter  Helm  Jones  pub- 
lished a  statement  in  the  Courier  Journal  referring  to 
the  above  action  as  the  "Gag-law"  practice,  and  set- 
ting forth  the  claim  that  if  the  friends  of  Doctor 
Whitsitt  had  only  had  an  opportunity  to  discuss  the 
matter,  the  action  of  the  General  Association  would 
have  been  very  different.  So  the  next  year  at  Hop- 
kinsville  it  was  decided  that  the  matter  should  be 
thoroughly  discussed  before  the  vote  was  taken. 


152        Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

The  Hopkinsville  Action 

J.  S.  Coleman  read  the  following  preamble  and 
resolutions : 

Whereas,  The  trustees  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Theological  Seminary  at  their  recent  session  in  Nor- 
folk, Va.,  adopted  a  resolution  by  which  they  decided 
to  retain  Dr.  William  H.  Whitsitt  as  President  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary  and  professor 
of  Church  History;  and, 

Whereas,  By  their  said  resolutions  the  trustees 
waived  aside  the  known  and  officially  expressed  con- 
victions and  wishes  of  a  great  number  of  Baptist 
bodies,  among  these  bodies  being  the  General  Associa- 
tion of  Kentucky;  and,  by  reaffirming  that  former 
action  which  produced  the  expression  of  these  con- 
victions and  wishes,  declined  to  give  them  due  con- 
sideration; and. 

Whereas,  Our  conviction  that  Doctor  Whitsitt  is 
unfit  for  his  present  position  has  been  strengthened 
by  the  events  of  the  last  year.    Now,  therefore, 

Resolved,  (1)  That  the  Southern  Baptist  Theo- 
logical Seminary  shall  not  be  allowed  to  make  any 
report  nor  present  any  appeals  of  any  sort  whatever 
to  this  body  so  long  as  Doctor  Whitsitt  shall  be  in 
any  manner  connected  with  the  institution. 

(2)  That  if  Doctor  Whitsitt 's  connection  with  the 
seminary  has  not  ceased  at  the  time  of  the  next  ses- 
sion of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  we  urge  that 
body  to  adopt,  as  the  only  means  of  preserving  its 
unity,  the  resolutions  proposed  by  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll, 
of  Texas,  whereby  the  convention  shall  dissolve  the 
bond  of  connection  between  that  body  and  the 
Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary.  (Notice  was 
given  by  Doctor  Carroll  at  the  Norfolk  convention 
that  he  would  offer  a  resolution  at  the  next  convention 
to  "dissolve  the  relationship  between  this  body  and 
the  seminary,"  which  resolution  is  published  in  full 
on  pages  22  and  23  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Conven- 
tion minutes  for  1898.) 


The  Whitsitt  Controversy — 1896  153 

(3)  That  the  clerk  of  this  association  be  instructed 
to  forward  a  copy  of  these  resolutions,  duly  signed 
and  certified  by  himself  and  the  moderator,  to  the 
Hon.  Joshua  Levering,  chairman  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Semi- 
nary, with  the  request  that  they  be  laid  before  the 
trustees  at  their  next  meeting. 

(4)  That  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed  by  the 
moderator  to  present  these  resolutions  to  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention  at  its  next  session. 

After  remarks  by  J.  S.  Coleman  and  others  the 
following  motion  prevailed: 

"That  the  above  resolutions  be  made  the  special 
order  for  2  o'clock;  that  the  vote  be  taken  not  later 
than  5  o'clock,  and  that  the  time  be  divided  as  fol- 
lows: those  favoring  the  resolution  to  open  with  one 
hour,  those  opposing  the  resolution  then  to  have  an 
hour  and  a  half,  and  those  favoring  to  close  with  a 
half  hour." 

The  above  resolution  was  voted  on  by  yeas  and 
nays.  The  yeas  were  198,  the  nays  26,  both  of  which 
are  recorded  below: 

(Taken  from  minutes  of  General  Association  of 
Baptists  of  Kentucky,  1898,  pages  9,  10,  11.) 

(These  votes  with  the  names  are  recorded  in  the 
minutes  of  the  General  Association  of  Baptists  in 
Kentucky.) 

The  two  votes  recorded  above  show  how  the  senti- 
ment in  Kentucky  was  changing  toward  Doctor  Whit- 
sitt and  his  position. 

The  action  of  Kentucky  Baptists  was  such  as  to 
cause  both  Doctor  Whitsitt  and  his  friends  to  feel 
that  his  resignation  was  absolutely  essential  to  the 
welfare  of  the  seminary.  Accordingly  the  resigna- 
tion was  wired  by  Doctor  Whitsitt  (as  we  understand 
from  Hopkinsville  where  the  General  Association  was 
in  session)  to  Joshua  Levering,  Baltimore,  chairman 
of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  seminary.  The  resig- 
nation was  duly  accepted  and  Doctor  Whitsitt  retired 
from  all  connection  with  the  seminary. 


154       Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

Thus  ended  the  unfortunate  incident,  so  far  as 
Doctor  Whitsitt  personally  was  concerned,  but  the 
feeling  engendered  by  the  controversy  did  not  so  soon 
pass  away.  Friends  who  were  alienated  by  the  con- 
flict did  not  soon  forget  the  animosities  that  were 
aroused  in  the  heat  of  discussion ;  but  the  grace  of 
God  and  time  heal  the  worst  of  troubles. 

The  principal  actors  in  this  great  controversy, 
which  stirred  the  Baptists  of  the  South  to  their 
depths,  Dr.  W.  H.  Whitsitt  and  Dr.  T.  T.  Eaton,  have 
both  passed  to  their  rewards  more  than  a  decade  ago. 
Green  be  the  graves  where  sleep  the  heroes  of  faith; 
forgotten  be  the  animosities  and  heart  burnings  of 
strife ;  sacred  be  the  trust  committed  to  our  memories 
and  bright  the  vision  of  coming  ages. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

The  Unification  Program  and  Great  Forward 
Movement — 1 919 

From  the  beginning  of  the  "Whitsitt  Contro- 
versy" (or  shortly  thereafter)  to  the  year  1919,  Ken- 
tucky had  two  Baptist  papers — The  Western  Recorder 
and  the  Baptist  Argus  (later  The  Baptist  World). 
The  very  fact  that  these  two  papers  had  been  con- 
sidered the  organs  of  the  "Anti-Whitsittites"  and 
"  Whitsittites "  respectively  served  to  perpetuate,  at 
least  in  the  minds  of  the  people,  the  division.  The 
Baptists  of  Kentucky,  however,  trying  to  get  away 
from  the  old  controversy  and  unite  their  forces  in  the 
state  for  a  great  forward  movement,  decided  that  the 
first  step  necessary  to  this  much  desired  end  was 
the  consolidation  of  the  two  papers. 

The  Two  Papers  Consolidated 

The  following  is  the  history  of  the  transaction,  as 
recorded  in  the  minutes  of  the  State  Board  of  Mis- 
sions : 

Called  meeting  of  the  State  Board  of  Missions  at 
Broadway  Church,  Louisville,  Ky.,  July  23,  1919. 

Secretary  O.  E.  Bryan  presented  the  following 
resolutions : 

Whereas,  The  Executive  Committee  of  the  South- 
ern Baptist  Convention  has  requested  a  special  cam- 
paign in  the  territory  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention  to  place  the  denominational  state  papers 
in  all  of  our  Baptist  homes  as  a  method  of  publicity 
during  the  Seventy-five  Million  Campaign;  and 

Whereus,  Kentucky  Baptists  have  two  outstanding 
denominational  papers,  the  Western  Recorder  and  the 
Baptist  World ;  and 

Whereas,  The  relation  between  these  papers  seems 
155 


156        Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

to  forbid  the  most  effective  statewide  simultaneous 
campaign  in  keeping  with  the  request  of  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention;  and 

Whereas,  Kentucky  Baptists  keenly  desire  to  co- 
operate with  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  in  the 
simultaneous  drive  for  the  papers,  therefore,  be  it 

Resolved,  (1)  That  the  Baptist  State  Board  of 
Missions  in  Kentucky  endeavor  to  purchase  the  Bap- 
tist papers  of  the  state  affiliated  with  our  organized 
work,  and  operate  them  under  the  direct  control  of 
State  Board  Missions. 

Resolved,  (2)  That  it  is  the  purpose  of  the  State 
Board  to  have  one  great  denominational  paper. 

Resolved,  (3)  That  a  committee  of  five  be  ap- 
pointed by  the  chairman  with  authority  to  consum- 
mate the  financial  transactions  incident  to  the 
establishment  of  a  single  state  paper  subject  to  the 
ratification  of  the  executive  board. 

Resolved,  (4)  That  we  instruct  this  committee  to 
make  no  concession  in  this  transaction  that  would  em- 
barrass the  state  board  in  naming  the  combined  paper 
or  in  electing  an  editor  for  the  same. 

Resolved,  (5)  That  we  instruct  this  committee  in 
co-operating  with  the  corresponding  Secretary  to  close 
up  the  deals  as  early  as  possible,  provided  the  man- 
agers of  these  papers  are  willing  to  sell. 

Resolved,  (6)  That  this  committee  be  instructed 
that  if  there  be  any  disagreement  as  to  the  value  of 
the  properties  under  their  consideration,  that  disin- 
terested business  men  be  requested  to  appraise  the 
same  and  that  said  appraisement  shall  be  the  basis  for 
the  consummation  of  the  transaction. 

Resolved,  (7)  That  we  express  our  good  will 
toward  all  of  these  papers  and  hereby  earnestly  re- 
quest their  management  to  give  due  consideration  to 
this  proposition  which  we  believe  will  be  for  the  best 
interests  of  Kentucky  Baptists  and  for  the  glory  of 
God. 

Wm.  D.  Nowlin,  one  of  the  editors  of  the  Western 
Kecorder,  moved  the  adoption  of  these  resolutions, 
and  the  vote  was  unanimous. 


Program  and  Great  Forward  Movement — 1919 157 

The  committee  for  establishment  of  paper  was  com- 
posed of  the  following  brethren :  0.  E.  Bryan,  W.  M. 
Stallings,  W.  W.  Landrum,  H.  S.  Summers  and  B.  H. 
Lovelace. 

Meeting  of  Board,  August  10,  1919 

Report  of  the  Committee 

Your  committee,  according  to  instruction,  opened 
negotiations  with  the  Western  Recorder  and  the  Bap- 
tist World  with  a  view  to  their  purchase  by  the  State 
Board  of  Missions.  After  several  conferences  with 
representatives  of  both  papers,  they  called  meetings 
of  their  directors  and  submitted  the  following  proposi- 
tion: 

FIRST,  We  the  directors  of  the  Baptist  Book 
Concern  and  publishers  of  the  Western  Recorder  of 
Louisville,  Kentucky,  hereby  offer  to  the  Baptist  State 
Board  of  Missions  of  Kentucky  the  Western  Recorder 
and  its  entire  subscription  list  consisting  of  10,000 
subscribers,  more  or  less;  the  advertising  contracts 
for  said  paper,  for  the  sum  of  $20,000.  It  is  hereby 
understood  and  agreed  to  by  both  parties  to  this  con- 
tract that  the  name  of  the  paper  shall  be  unchanged 
and  shall  continue  to  be  known  as  ''Western 
Recorder. ' ' 

(Signed)  J.  W.  Porteb,  Chairman  of  Board, 
F.  H.  GooDRiDGE,    E.  C.  Farmer. 
SECOND :    The  Baptist  World  Publishing  Com- 
pany desires  to  make  this  substitute  offer  to  your  com- 
mittee in  lieu  of  the  offer  made  your  committee  on 
July  29,  1919. 

"We  will  sell  the  paper  and  printing  department, 
which  would  include  the  subscription  list  and  amounts 
due  on  unpaid  subscriptions  to  the  Baptist  World, 
together  with  the  linotype,  printing  presses  and  all 
other  machinery  and  appliances  used  in  the  printing 
department,  together  with  the  stock  of  paper  on  hand 
for  the  sum  of  $15,000. 

(Signed)  Baptist  World  Pub.  Co., 

By  Boyce  Watkins,  President. ' ' 


158        Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

The  committee  communicated  with  News  and 
Truths,  of  Murray,  Kentucky,  which  paper  was  not 
for  sale. 

The  committee  also  communicated  with  the  Russell 
Creek  Baptist,  which  paper  they  did  not  consider  a 
state  paper. 

No  liabilities  of  either  paper  assumed  by  us.  The 
subscription  lists  of  each  paper  with  all  amounts  due 
and  unpaid  on  same  are  included  in  said  offer  as  well 
as  amounts  due  on  advertising  contracts. 

It  is  also  understood  that  neither  the  Baptist 
World  Publishing  Company  nor  the  Baptist  Book 
Concern  shall  own  or  publish  a  paper  so  long  as  the 
State  Board  of  Missions  owns  and  publishes  the 
Western  Recorder  as  a  state  organ  and  that  the  good 
will  of  both  papers  is  included  in  purchase  of  said 
papers.  While  our  committee  was  instructed  to  make 
no  concession  which  would  embarrass  us  in  operating 
a  paper  for  the  state,  certain  conditions  have  been 
practically  agreed  to  by  representatives  of  both  papers 
which  we  recommend  as  follows : 

That  the  name  Western  Recorder  shall  be  the  ex- 
clusive name  of  our  state  paper. 

We  recommend  that  the  salary  of  Dr.  E.  B. 
Hatcher  for  one  year,  or  such  part  thereof  as  is  un- 
paid, be  assumed  by  the  state  board  and  he  shall  be 
retained  on  the  new  paper  in  such  relation  and  for 
such  service  as  shall  be  agreed  upon  by  the  Board 
of  Managers.  The  items  above  named  are  mutually 
conceded. 

We  further  recommend  that  a  Board  of  Managers 
consisting  of  seven  members  shall  be  appointed  by 
the  chairman  of  this  board,  of  which  Board  Secretary 
O.  E.  Bryan  shall  be  one  and  C.  W.  Elsey,  chairman 
of  state  board,  another. 

We  further  recommend  that  the  finances  of  said 
paper  shall  be  handled  through  the  state  board  office 
and  that  our  corresponding  secretary,  0.  E.  Bryan, 
shall  be  its  business  manager. 

As  the  paper  is  to  be  owned  and  controlled  by  the 


Program  and  Great  Forward  Movement — 1919 159 

State  Board  of  Missions,  and  is  to  be  an  asset  of  the 
same,  we  recommend  that  money  for  the  purchase  of 
the  paper  shall  be  taken  from  the  $900,000  designated 
for  state  missions  in  such  amounts  and  at  such  times 
as  it  can  be  done  without  injury  to  other  state  mis- 
sion items. 

(Signed)   0.  E.  Bryan, 

W.  M.  Stallings, 
W.  W.  Landrum, 
H.  S.  Summers, 
B.  H.  Lovelace. 

The  foregoing  resolutions  were  adopted  and  the 
following  Board  of  Managers  was  elected  in  the  fol- 
lowing way : 

On  motion  the  recording  secretary  was  instructed 
to  cast  a  ballot  electing  each  of  the  following  seven 
brethren  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the 
Western  Recorder  as  the  state  paper.  Following  the 
instructions  the  secretary  announced  that  the  vote 
had  been  so  cast:  0.  E.  Bryan,  chairman,  C.  W. 
Elsey,  C.  M.  Thompson,  W.  M.  Stallings,  W.  W. 
Landrum,  W.  M.  Seay,  and  H.  B.  Lovelace. 

The  following  motion  was  adopted :  That  the 
Board  of  Managers  of  the  state  board  paper  be  author- 
ized to  elect  an  editor  for  the  official  state  paper. 

Meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Western 
Recorder 

At  the  Watterson  Hotel,  September  9,  1919 

Motion  was  made  by  Doctor  Landrum,  seconded 

by  Doctor  Thompson  and  carried  unanimously,  that 

at  the  top  of  the  editorial  page  of  each  issue  of  the 

Western  Recorder  there  shall  appear  this  statement : 

EDITORIAL   DEPARTMENT 

J.  W.  Porter Managing  Editor 

E.   B.   Hatcher News  Editor 

0.  E.  Bryan Business  Manager 


160       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

Meeting  of  Board  of  Managers  of  Western  Recorder 
State  Mission  Kooms. . .  .205  E.  Chestnut  St. 
Louisville,  Kentucky,  May  24,  1920. 
Moved  and  carried: 

''That  it  is  the  sense  of  this  body  that  the  dual 
editorship  of  the  Western  Recorder  cease  with 
September  1,  1920,  and  that  the  present  editors  of 
the  paper  be  notified  of  that  fact.  From  that  date 
one  man  is  to  give  his  entire  time  to  the  paper,  is  to 
be  held  responsible  for  the  editorial  policy  and  general 
make-up  of  the  paper,  and  that  he  be  charged  with 
looking  after  increasing  its  subscription  list.  It  is 
further  understood  that  this  action  is  taken  without 
prejudice  to,  or  committing  ourselves  to  either  of  the 
present  incumbents. 

"Motion  carried  that  secretary  be  instructed  to 
send  a  copy  of  this  action  to  each  of  the  editors  of 
the  Western  Recorder." 

The  Rev.  0.  E.  Bryan,  D.  D.,  corresponding  secre- 
tary of  State  Board  of  Missions  in  Kentucky,  is  en- 
titled to  much  credit  for  the  consolidation  of  the  two 
papers  and  the  unifying  of  the  forces  in  Kentucky. 
The  Great  Forward  Movement 

In  May,  1919,  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention 
in  session  in  Atlanta,  Georgia,  put  on  foot  the  great 
''Seventy-five  Million  Campaign."  This,  of  course, 
helps  to  account  for  the  great  advance  shown  in  1920, 
for  the  actual  campaign  was  not  put  on  until  after 
our  state  meeting  in  Georgetown  in  November,  1919. 
The  minutes  (p.  17)  of  the  meeting  in  Georgetown 
November,  1919,  show  a  total  of  receipts  by  the  State 
Board  of  Missions  of  $455,104.61.  The  minutes  for 
the  Owensboro  meeting  November,  1920  (p.  19)  show 
total  receipts  $1,412,165.92.  This  is  a  marvelous 
advance. 

The  Rev.  0.  E.  Bryan,  D.  D.,  corresponding  secre- 
tary of  Missions  in  Kentucky  at  this  time,  is  entitled 
to  much  credit  for  this  success.  He  is  a  man  of  splen- 
did spirit  and  fine  executive  ability.  It  should  be 
borne  in  mind,  however,  that  Kentucky  had  already 


Program  and  Great  Forward  Movement — 1919 161 

developed  the  "Budget  System,"  and  that  it  was 
functioning  well  before  we  put  on  the  Seventy-five 
Million  Campaign. 

Back  of  this  glorious  achievement  there  is  a  long 
struggle  that  should  not  be  overlooked.  Such  men  as 
J.  W.  Warder,  D.D.,  J.  G.  Bow,  D.  D.,  and  W.  D. 
Powell,  D.  D.,  rendered  efficient  service  as  correspond- 
ing secretaries  of  our  mission  board. 

It  was  the  day  of  small  things  when  Doctor  Warder 
traveled  over  Kentucky  collecting  a  dollar  here  and 
there  for  missions,  and  urging  the  churches  to  adopt 
an  envelope  system  of  collecting  mission  money.  He 
did  a  good  work  in  getting  many  of  the  churches  to 
adopt  this  system,  which  came  to  be  known  as  ''The 
Warder  System." 

Dr.  J.  G.  Bow,  than  whom  there  is  not  a  straighter, 
cleaner  man  and  truer  Baptist,  followed  Doctor  War- 
der and  put  into  the  mission  work  of  Kentucky  a 
business  system  which  has  told  immensely  for  good. 
It  was  through  the  efforts  and  influence  of  Doctor 
Bow  that  Mr.  Theodore  Harris  left  in  his  will  the 
large  sum  that  was  left  to  the  Baptists  of  Kentucky. 
The  Baptists  of  Kentucky  owe  Doctor  Bow  a  much 
larger  debt  than  they  will  ever  pay  him.  Few  men 
have  been  worth  more  to  the  Baptist  cause  in  Ken- 
tucky than  J.  G.  Bow. 

Following  the  administration  of  Doctor  Bow  came 
the  enthusiastic,  energetic  W.  D.  Powell.  Doctor 
Powell  was  not  the  systematic  executive  that  Doctor 
Bow  was,  nor  that  Doctor  Bryan,  his  successor,  was, 
but  he  was  the  superior  of  either  of  them  in  raising 
money  under  high  pressure  appeals.  Here  Doctor 
Powell  was  a  brilliant  success.  Mission  contributions 
grew  very  much  under  the  eloquent  and  fiery  appeals 
of  this  mission  champion. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  when  Doctor  Bryan  came 
into  office  he  found  the  foundation  work  well  done. 
The  systematic  Bow  had  thoroughly  systematized  the 
work,  and  the  zealous  Powell  had  fanned  the  mis- 
sionary spirit  all  over  the  state  into  a  flame,  so  that 
11 


162        Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

Doctor  Bryan 's  work  was  largely  a  work  of  combining 
and  directing  the  forces  of  the  state.  In  this  he 
exhibited  rare  ability.  Doctor  Bryan  is  one  of  the 
greatest  mission  secretaries  in  the  South.  He  has  re- 
signed his  work  with  the  State  Board  of  Missions  in 
Kentucky  and  gone  to  the  Home  Mission  Board, 
Atlanta. 

On  September  1,  1921,  Dr.  C.  M.  Thompson,  a 
man  of  splendid  ability  and  equipment,  came  from 
the  pastorate  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Winchester, 
Kentucky,  to  the  secretaryship  of  the  State  Board  of 
Missions.  Doctor  Thompson  is  making  a  great  secre- 
tary, though  he  is  just  now  getting  fairly  started  in 
his  new  position. 


CHAPTER  XV 

Kentucky  Baptist  Institutions 

In  this  chapter  we  give  a  short  history  of  the  Ken- 
tucky Baptist  Institutions  now  existing.  Space  does 
not  allow  an  account  of  the  many  Baptist  institutions 
which  rendered  efficient  service  in  Kentucky  for  a 
time,  but  now  extinct.  The  list  would  be  long.  We 
will  name  simply  The  Western  Baptist  Theological 
Institute,  Covington ;  Clinton  College,  Clinton ;  The 
Baptist  Female  Academy,  Danville ;  Bardstown  Bap- 
tist Female  College ;  Lynland  College ;  Ohio  Valley 
Baptist  College,  Sturgis;  Choctaw  Academy,  near 
Georgetown,  a  school  for  Indians ;  a  number  of  Baptist 
papers,  missionary  and  educational  societies  that 
operated  for  a  time  and  passed  away. 

One  writer  says,  "There  were  fifteen  Baptist 
female  schools  in  Kentucky  at  one  time."  The  insti- 
tutions herein  named  are  given  in  the  order  of  their 
beginnings. 

The  Western  Recorder 

The  author  has  had  much  trouble  trying  to  get  a 
connected  and  complete  account  of  the  establishing 
and  developing  of  a  Baptist  paper  in  Kentucky. 
There  are  conflicting  accounts  given  by  writers  on  the 
early  history  of  Kentucky  Baptists  at  several  points. 
The  author  has  taken  the  dates  which  seem  to  be  most 
consistent  with  all  the  facts. 

It  seems  that  the  first  effort  to  establish  a  Baptist 
paper  in  Kentucky  was  in  1812.  Elder  Stark  Dupuy, 
according  to  Spencer  (Vol.  I,  p.  347)  :  "In  1812 
commenced  the  publication  of  the  Kentucky  Mis- 
sionary and  Theologian,  he  being  sole  editor.  It  was 
a  quarterly  magazine,  four  numbers  of  which  made 
a  volume  of  244  pages."     This  paper  was  discon- 

163 


164       Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

tinued  the  following  February  on  account  of  the  war 
of  1812,  according  to  the  statement  of  the  editor, 
"Mr.  Dupuy,"  says  Spencer,  "was  doubtless  the  first 
Baptist  editor  of  a  religious  periodical  west  of  the 
Alleghany  Mountains." 

The  next  effort,  according  to  history,  was  in  1813. 
"Silas  M.  Noel  commenced,  in  1813,  the  publication 
of.  The  Gospel  Herald."  (Spencer,  Vol.  I,  p.  347.) 
This  paper,  which  was  a  monthly,  was  soon  discon- 
tinued for  lack  of  patronage.  The  next  Baptist  news- 
paper venture  in  Kentucky  seems  to  date  from  1826. 
Our  great  Kentucky  Baptist  historian,  Spencer  (Vol. 
I,  p.  217),  says:  "About  the  beginning  of  the  year 
1826,  George  Waller  and  Spencer  Clack  began  the 
publication  of  a  paper  (at  Bloomfield,  Kentucky,) 
called  The  Baptist  Register.  It  was  a  semi-monthly 
and  proposed  to  'endeavor  to  strip  religion  of  every- 
thing like  the  traditions  of  men,  and  to  present  the 
truth  in  a  plain  and  simple  manner.'  The  name  of 
the  paper  was  exchanged  for  that  of  The  Baptist 
Recorder,  and  in  1830  it  was  changed  to  a  monthly. 
Meanwhile  the  Baptist  Chronicle,  having  been  estab- 
lished by  Uriel  B.  Chambers  at  Frankfort,  the  Baptist 
Recorder  was  soon  discontinued." 

Again  Spencer  tells  us  (Vol.  I,  p.  597),  concerning 
the  Baptist  Recorder :  "Its  issue  was  continued  about 
four  years,  when  it  was  succeeded  by  the  Baptist 
Herald,  afterwards  called  the  Baptist  Chronicle, 
edited  by  Uriel  B.  Chambers,  Esq.,  at  Frankfort, 
Kentucky. ' ' 

Just  how  long  the  Chronicle  continued  we  have 
not  learned,  but  in  1832  we  find  Mr.  Chambers  start- 
ing another  paper,  which  indicates  that  the  Chronicle 
had  been  discontinued.  The  next  effort,  the  fifth,  to 
establish  a  Baptist  paper  in  Kentucky  was  in  1832, 
according  to  Spencer  (Vol.  I,  p.  652).  The  Baptist 
State  Convention  started  "The  Cross  and  Baptist 
Banner,  the  first  Baptist  weekly  that  was  published 
in  Kentucky.  The  first  number  had  been  issued 
previous  to  this  meeting  of  the  convention.    Uriel  B. 


Kentucky  Baptist  Institutions  165 

Chambers  was  its  editor,  and  assumed  all  the  pecu- 
niary responsibility."  This  is  all  we  know  of  this 
paper.  No  further  reference  to  it  has  been  found. 
The  next  paper  seems  to  have  been  started  by  James 
Wilson,  M.  D.,  at  Shelbyville,  in  1834.  Doctor  Spen- 
cer, in  speaking  of  Dr.  John  L.  Waller  (Vol.  I, 
p.  702),  says:  ''In  1835  he  became  editor  of  the 
Baptist  Banner,  a  bi-weekly  religious  newspaper, 
which  had  been  established  at  Shelbyville,  Kentucky, 
in  the  preceding  year  by  James  Wilson,  M.  D.  Soon 
after  Mr.  Waller  became  editor  of  the  Baptist  Banner, 
The  Baptist,  published  at  Nashville,  Tennessee,  and 
the  Western  Pioneer,  published  at  Alton,  Illinois, 
were  merged  into  it.  The  new  paper  took  the  title 
of  Baptist  Banner  and  Western  Pioneer.  It  was 
moved  to  Louisville,  where  Mr.  Waller  continued  its 
chief  editor  until  1841,  when  he  resigned  in  favor  of 
William  C.  Buck." 

After  the  consolidation  of  the  three  papers  the  new 
paper  became  the  denominational  organ  of  Kentucky, 
Tennessee,  Mississippi,  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Missouri 
Baptists,  Under  the  editorship  of  the  great  Waller, 
the  paper  had  the  largest  circulation  in  its  history, 
except  possibly  during  the  editorship  of  T.  T.  Eaton, 
D.  D.,  LL.D.,  who  had  associated  with  him  as  business 
manager  Dr.  W.  P.  Harvey,  a  man  of  unusual  business 
ability.  The  statement  is  made  by  Doctor  Harvey 
that  "My  recollection  is  that  at  one  time  we  had  a 
circulation  of  27,500,  with  an  advertising  income  of 
$15,000  per  year."  This  record  has  never  been  dupli- 
cated. 

From  the  foregoing  facts  it  seems  that  the  Western 
Recorder  is  the  lineal  descendant  of  the  Baptist  Ban- 
ner started  in  Shelbyville  in  1834.  However,  from 
the  date  on  the  Western  Recorder  they  evidently 
number  their  volumes  from  the  beginning  of  the  Bap- 
tist Register,  Bloomfield,  1826,  later  the  Baptist 
Recorder.  We  find  no  connecting  link  between  these 
two  papers,  however.  Doctor  Eaton,  at  the  time 
editor,  told  the  author  that  the  Western  Recorder 


166        Kentuckij  Baptist  Historu— 1770-1922 

continued  the  volumes  of  the  Baptist  Recorder,  Bloom- 
field. 

An  old  copy  of  the  Baptist  Banner,  in  our  posses- 
sion, dated  Fe'bruary  28,  1849,  published  at  47  Wall 
Street,  Louisville,  Ky.,  is  numbered  Vol.  XVI,  No.  9, 
Also  an  old  copv  of  Western  Recorder,  which  we  have, 
dated  October  ^22,  1851,  is  numbered  Vol.  XVIII, 
No.  43.  These  numbers  show  that  the  connection 
with  the  Bloomfield  paper  was  made  later.  Of  these 
two  old  papers  W.  C.  Buck  is  editor  of  the  former, 
and  of  the  latter  John  L.  Waller,  R.  L.  Thurman  and 
A.  W.  LaRue  are  editors. 

"William  C.  Buck  continued  as  editor  of  the 
Baptist  Banner  and  Western  Pioneer  about  nine 
years,"  says  Spencer.  John  L.  Waller  again  became 
editor  in  1850  and  remained  in  this  position  until 
his  death,  October  10,  1854.  Spencer  adds,  "Mean- 
while the  name  of  the  paper  was  exchanged  in  1851 
for  that  of  the  Western  Recorder."  (Vol.  I,  p.  703.) 
An  old  copy  of  the  Recorder,  dated  September  27, 
1854,  gives  John  L.  Waller  and  S.  H.  Ford  as  editors. 
Then  another  old  copy,  dated  December  6,  1854,  gives 
S.  H.  Ford  as  editor.  This  shows  that  Ford  suc- 
ceeded to  the  sole  editorship  on  the  death  of  Waller, 
However,  Ford  did  not  continue  as  editor  of  the  paper 
until  the  fall  of  1861,  as  generally  believed. 

An  old  copy  of  the  Recorder,  now  in  the  hands 
of  the  editor,  dated  March  3,  1858,  gives  Dr.  J.  Otis, 
editor.  Dr.  Otis  was  editor  until  1860.  In  June, 
1861,  S.  H.  Ford  is  named  as  editor  again.  It  has 
been  claimed  that  the  paper  was  suspended  during 
the  Civil  War. 

Doctor  Armitage  in  his  history  of  the  Baptists 
(p.  884),  in  giving  a  history  of  the  Western  Recorder, 
says:  "During  a  part  of  the  Civil  War  its  issue  was 
suspended,  but  it  was  resumed  in  1863." 

Here  again  an  old  copy  of  the  paper  comes  to  our 
rescue.  An  old  Recorder,  now  in  the  hands  of  the 
author,  dated  Saturday,  June  28, 1862,  edited  by  Chas. 
Y.  Duncan,  says:  "It  is  now  four  months  since  we 


Kentucky  Baptist  Institutions  167 

resumed  the  publication  of  the  Recorder,  after  its  tem- 
porary suspension."  This  shows  that  the  publication 
was  resumed  about  the  last  of  February,  1862. 

Armitage  is  correct  when  he  says  the  paper  ''was 
suspended  a  part  of  the  time  during  the  Civil  War, ' ' 
but  is  in  error  when  he  says  its  publication  "was  re- 
sumed in  1863, ' '  as  this  old  copy  of  1862  proves.  We 
learn  also  from  this  old  paper  that  Duncan  (not  men- 
tioned by  Spencer)  preceded  A.  C.  Graves  as  editor. 

In  this  issue  of  June  28,  1862,  Editor  Duncan  says : 
"We  have  arrived  at  the  time  when  we  wish  to  make 
some  radical  improvements  of  the  Recorder.  As  here- 
tofore announced,  we  wish  this  week 's  issue  to  enlarge 
and  in  every  way  improve  it.  Conscious  of  our  own 
individual  inability  to  conduct  it,  we  have  procured 
the  services  of  Rev.  S.  F.  Thompson,  of  Shelbyville, 
a  young  man  of  piety,  education,  talent  and  position. ' ' 
This  suggests  that  S.  F.  Thompson  was  editorial 
writer  for  the  paper  for  a  time. 

The  Recorder  of  October,  1863,  states  that  the 
paper  had  been  suspended  for  fifteen  months  and  on 
June  25,  1864,  the  Recorder  united  with  the  Baptist 
Book  Store  owned  by  G.  W.  Robertson ;  then  in  July, 
1864,  A.  C.  Graves  and  J.  C.  Waller  are  named  as 
editors.  It  seems  that  Graves  continued  only  a  short 
while  and  Waller's  name  is  continued  as  editor  up  to 
October,  1866.  R.  M.  Dudley  is  named  as  editor 
January  12,  1867,  and  August  1,  1868,  J.  W.  Rust  is 
associated  with  Dudley.  June  15,  1870,  W.  W.  Gar- 
dener and  L.  B.  Woolfolk  are  named  as  associate 
editors;  then  in  June,  1871,  Dr.  G.  W.  Varden  seems 
to  have  taken  Woolfolk 's  place.  July  8,  1871,  A.  S. 
Worrell  and  A.  C.  Caperton  are  names  as  co-editors. 
It  seems  that  Worrell  bought  the  paper  and  sold  one- 
half  interest  to  Caperton,  then  nothing  appears  in 
the  paper  about  Doctor  Worrell  but  Caperton  is  named 
as  editor  and  proprietor.  In  October,  1887,  Caperton 
sold  out  to  Harvey,  McFerran  Co.  and  Dr.  Eaton  be- 
came editor. 

Then    follows    the    long    and    brilliant    editorial 


168       Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

career  of  the  immortal  T.  T.  Eaton,  D.  D.,  LL.D., 
until  his  death,  June  29,  1907,  a  period  of  nearly 
twenty  years.  After  the  death  of  Doctor  Eaton,  Dr.  J. 
M.  Weaver  supplied  as  editor  until  the  election  of 
Dr.  C.  M.  Thompson,  1907.  Doctor  Thompson  served 
about  two  years.  His  editorial  work  was  of  a  high 
order.  He  was  not  a  voluminous  writer,  but  a  careful 
and  accurate  one.  Dr.  J.  G.  Bow,  a  man  who  has  filled 
a  large  place  in  the  denominational  life  of  the  Baptists 
of  Kentucky,  was  associate  editor  with  Doctor  Thomp- 
son and  business  manager  of  the  Baptist  Book  Con- 
cern, which  published  the  Recorder. 

The  editorial  career  of  J.  W.  Porter,  D.  D.,  LL.D., 
the  brilliant  and  versatile,  began  in  1909  and  con- 
tinued until  February,  1921.  Doctor  Porter  exhibited 
great  ability  as  an  editorial  writer.  This  author  was 
associate  editor  with  Doctor  Porter  several  years, 
which  position  he  resigned  when  the  paper  was  sold 
to  the  State  Board  of  Missions,  August,  1919.  In 
February,  1921,  Dr.  V,  I.  Masters,  the  present  in- 
cumbent, became  editor  of  the  Western  Recorder, 
which  position  he  is  filling  with  conspicuous  ability. 
His  writings  are  of  a  wide  range  and  voluminous. 

Dr.  A.  S.  Worrell  established  and  edited  The 
Baptist  Sentinel,  Lexington,  Kentucky.  Before  us 
at  this  time  are  several  copies  of  this  monthly 
magazine.  The  January,  1870,  number  is  ''Vol.  I, 
No.  3."  This  indicates  that  the  Sentinel  was 
launched  November,  1869.  In  this  January  issue 
the  editor  says,  "Brother  D.  B.  Ray  is  now  joint 
proprietor  and  assistant  of  the  Sentinel. ' '  We  do  not 
know  how  long  Doctor  Worrell  edited  this  journal, 
but  a  copy  dated  November,  1870,  the  latest  we  have, 
gives  him  as  editor  and  D.  B.  Ray  as  assistant. 

Georgetown  College — 1829- 

Georgetown  has  been  an  educational  center  almost 
from  the  beginning  of  the  settlement  of  the  Missis- 
sippi valley.  Early  in  1788,  Elijah  Craig,  a  noted 
pioneer   Baptist  preacher   of   Kentucky,   opened   at 


Kentucky  Baptist  Institutions  169 

Georgetown,  then  called  Lebanon,  a  classical  school 
in  accordance  with  the  following  quaint  advertise- 
ment: 

"Lebanon,  December  27,  1787. 

"Notice  is  hereby  given  that  on  Monday,  28th  of 
January  next,  a  school  will  be  opened  by  Messrs. 
Jones  and  Worley,  at  the  Royal  Spring  in  Lebanon, 
Fayette  County,  where  a  commodious  house,  sufficient 
to  contain  fifty  or  sixty  scholars,  will  be  prepared. 
They  will  teach  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages,  to- 
gether with  such  branches  of  the  sciences  as  are 
usually  taught  in  public  seminaries,  at  twenty-five 
shillings  a  quarter  for  each  scholar.  One-half  to  be 
paid  in  cash,  the  other  half  in  produce  at  cash  prices. 
There  will  be  a  vacation  for  a  month  in  the  Spring 
and  another  in  the  Fall,  at  the  close  of  each  of  which 
it  is  expected  that  such  payments  as  are  due  in  cash 
shall  be  made.  For  diet,  washing  and  house  room  for 
a  year,  each  scholar  pays  three  pounds  in  cash,  or  500 
weight  of  pork  on  entrance,  and  three  pounds  in  cash 
at  the  beginning  of  the  third  quarter.  It  is  desired 
that  as  many  as  can  would  furnish  themselves  with 
beds;  such  as  cannot  may  be  provided  here,  to  the 
number  of  eight  or  ten  boys,  at  35s  a  year  for  each 
bed.  "Elijah  Craig." 

Little  is  known  of  the  history  of  this  school,  but 
in  1789  the  Legislature  of  Kentucky,  by  an  act  found- 
ing academies  in  the  state,  located  one  of  them  at 
Georgetown,  and  gave  its  trustees  6,000  acres  of  land 
for  its  support.  As  a  result  of  this,  Rittenhouse 
Academy  began  its  career.  In  1829  Georgetown  Col- 
lege was  chartered  and  immediately  acquired  the 
property  and  became  the  successor  of  Rittenhouse 
Academy.  Georgetown  College  is  the  first  chartered 
collegiate  institution  of  Baptists  south  and  west  of 
the  Alleghanies,  and  under  its  present  name  is  fifth 
among  Baptist  institutions  in  the  United  States.  In 
a  real  sense  Georgetown  College  is  the  direct  descen- 


170       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

dant  of  the  classical  school  above  mentioned  estab- 
lished in  Georgetown  by  Elijah  Craig  in  1787. 

This  school  was  absorbed  by  Rittenhouse  Academy, 
which  was  chartered,  largely  through  the  influence 
of  Mr.  Craig,  December  22,  1798,  and  which  was 
operated  as  a  county  academy  until  1829. 

Its  quaint  little  two-story  brick  with  the  command- 
ing cupola  became  the  first  building  of  Georgetown 
College.  This  building  was  the  only  one  owned  by 
the  college  until  1840  and  was  used  regularly  until 
1860.  If  this  descent  is  accepted,  Georgetown  College 
in  age  is  second  to  Brown  University  among  Baptist 
colleges  in  the  United  States. 

The  original  charter  in  1829,  incorporated  "The 
Trustees  of  the  Kentucky  Baptist  Education  Society" 
and  empowered  them  to  fill  all  vacancies  in  their 
own  number  caused  by  death,  resignation,  neglect,  or 
otherwise;  but  by  an  amendment  secured  in  1851,  the 
power  to  fill  vacancies  in  the  Board  of  Trustees  was 
given  to  another  corporation  created  for  this  purpose 
and  composed  of  all  persons  who  had  contributed  or 
who  should  thereafter  contribute  as  much  as  one  hun- 
dred dollars  to  the  funds  of  the  college. 

In  1906  the  charter  was  again  amended  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  vest  in  the  Baptist  Education  Society 
of  Kentucky  the  power  of  electing  the  trustees  from 
suitable  nominations  made  by  the  original  society. 

Under  this  charter  the  college  has  had  a  continuous 
history  from  the  year  of  its  foundation  to  the  present. 
Little  by  little  it  has  grown  in  buildings,  in  means, 
in  teachers,  and  in  students.  The  Central  building, 
now  known  as  Giddings  Hall,  in  which  are  most  of 
the  lecture  rooms,  was  erected  in  1840.  Pawling  Hall, 
erected  in  1844  in  recognition  of  the  generosity  of 
Issachar  Pawling,  was  remodeled  and  much  enlarged 
in  1877.  The  commodious  building  coiitaining  the 
chapel,  library,  society  halls,  and  gymnasium,  was 
erected  in  1894 ;  and  Rucker  Hall,  the  beautiful  home 
for  the  young  women  of  the  college,  was  erected  in 
1895,  and  named  in  honor  of  Prof.  James  Jefferson 


Kentucky  Baptist  Institutions  171 

Rucker.  The  other  buildings  have  been  added  at 
various  dates  as  the  means  of  the  college  have  per- 
mitted. 

Since  its  foundation  many  thousands  of  students 
have  been  enrolled  in  its  classes  and  there  have  been 
nearly  a  thousand  graduates.  They  are  in  every  walk 
of  life  and  in  many  of  the  states  of  the  Union.  About 
one  hundred  of  them  are  now  serving  as  pastors  in 
the  State  of  Kentucky  and  some  are  missionaries  in 
foreign  lands. 

From  the  first  the  teachers  in  the  college  have  been 
men  and  women  of  earnest  Christian  character,  fit 
guides  and  exemplars  for  the  students,  with  whose 
lives  they  have  always  been  in  intimate  contact. 
Among  these  teachers  are  many  whose  lives  are  inter- 
woven with  the  history  of  education  in  Kentucky. 

The  names  of  Rockwood  Giddings,  Howard  Mal- 
colm, Duncan  R.  Campbell,  and  Richard  M.  Dudley, 
former  presidents  of  the  college,  are  known  by  all 
who  have  studied  Kentucky  educational  history,  while 
the  memory  of  Prof.  Jonathan  E.  Farnam,  Prof.  Dan- 
forth  Thomas,  and  Prof.  James  J.  Rucker  is  cherished 
with  peculiar  veneration  on  account  of  their  many 
years  of  consecrated  service  to  the  college  by  all  those 
who  have  passed  under  their  influence. 

The  younger  men,  who  have  in  recent  years  been 
added  to  the  teaching  force,  are  most  of  them  repre- 
sentatives of  old  and  famous  universities,  and  all  of 
them  specialists  in  their  departments,  but  the  quali- 
fications especially  sought  after  in  their  selection  have 
been  Christian  character  and  sympathetic  understand- 
ing of  the  needs  and  ambitions  of  the  young. 

Co-education 

For  the  first  sixty  years  of  its  history,  the  college 
was  conducted  as  a  school  for  young  men ;  but  in  1892 
young  women  were  admitted  on  the  same  terms  as 
men. 

This  step  was  taken  in  the  belief  that  young  women 
would  not  remain  satisfied  with  an  older  type  of  edu- 


172       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

cation  which  had  been  provided  for  them  on  the 
theory  of  their  incapacity  for  the  higher  standards 
required  of  men.  The  leaders  of  this  movement  in 
Kentucky,  among  whom  Prof.  J.  J.  Kucker  stands 
easily  first,  had  become  convinced  that  young  women 
are  as  capable  of  first  class  education  as  young  men. 
The  results  at  Georgetown  College  in  co-education 
have  amply  justified  the  experiment.  The  fact  that 
this  college  took  the  bold  stand  that  young  women 
would  come  to  demand  the  best  in  education,  and  that 
Georgetown  attempts  to  offer  only  this,  has  made  it 
noted  as  a  home  for  college  women  who  have  caught 
a  vision  of  the  opportunities  for  large  service  which 
this  country  offers  to  the  young  woman  who  will  pay 
the  price  of  thorough  educational  training. 

Year  by  year  the  college  views  with  increasing 
satisfaction  the  eager  submission  of  mature  young 
women  to  the  labor  required  for  the  acquisition  of  a 
college  education.  The  class  of  young  women  of  in- 
telligence and  trustworthy  character  who  heed  the 
call  of  higher  education  insures  the  absence  of  those 
so-called  difficulties  of  co-education  which  are  said 
to  exist  in  the  popular  mind. 

Georgetown  College  sees  its  definite  mission  as  a 
standard  Christian  college,  working  under  the  control 
of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  Kentucky,  and  repre- 
sentative of  its  aims  and  ideals.  It  is  a  college  in 
the  true  meaning  of  that  term.  It  believes  that  the 
highest  reality  of  true  and  useful  culture  lies,  not 
outside  of,  but  within  the  Kingdom  of  God;  and  so 
its  educational  work  is  deeply  religious  in  the  con- 
viction that  a  life  of  efficient  and  faithful  human 
service  in  obedience  to  Jesus  Christ  is  the  noblest 
career  open  to  man. 

The  college  endowment  is  now  about  $480,000,  but 
at  the  end  of  the  Seventy-five  Million  Campaign,  if 
the  proceeds  come  in  as  planned  and  expected,  the 
endowment  will  be  slightly  over  a  million  dollars. 

The  enrollment  of  students  at  this  date  is  358. 

The  presidents  since  the  term  of  R.  M.  Dudley 


Kentucky  Baptist  Institutions  173 

have  been  in  the  following  order:  A.  C.  Davidson, 
B.  D.  Gray,  J.  J.  Taylor,  Arthur  Yeager,  and  M.  B. 
Adams,  the  present  incumbent. 

Bethel  College— 1849 

Bethel  College  was  organized  by  the  Bethel  Asso- 
ciation of  Baptists  of  southwestern  Kentucky  in  1849, 
under  the  name  of  "Bethel  High  School."  The  main 
building  was  erected  in  1852,  and  the  school  was 
formally  opened  in  January,  1854,  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Mr.  B.  T.  Blewitt.  The  school  prospered  and, 
upon  the  public  demand  for  work  beyond  the  high 
school,  a  new  charter  was  obtained,  and  the  institu- 
tion entered  upon  its  career  as  a  college  in  September, 
1856.  Mr.  Blewitt  was  made  the  president  of  the 
new  college  and  continued  with  the  institution  until 
the  summer  of  1861,  when  the  distractions  of  war 
made  it  necessary  to  close  the  school. 

In  the  winter  of  1861  and  1862  the  building  was 
used  as  a  hospital  by  the  Confederate  forces  until 
the  fall  of  Fort  Donelson,  in  February.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1863,  the  college  was  reopened  under  Kev.  George 
Hunt  as  president.  The  reorganization  of  the  institu- 
tion was  accompanied  by  many  discouragements.  In 
1864  Mr.  Hunt  resigned,  and  J.  W.  Rust  became  the 
president.  Under  his  direction  the  institution  con- 
tinued to  grow  in  numbers  and  influence  until  1868, 
when  President  Rust  was  compelled  to  resign  by  rea- 
son of  poor  health.  He  was  succeeded  by  Noah  K. 
Davis.  Under  his  direction  the  courses  of  study  were 
divided  up  into  schools,  each  school  embracing  all  of 
the  subjects  contained  in  one  line  of  study.  Gradua- 
tion was  dependent  upon  the  completion  of  the  work 
in  a  certain  number  of  schools.  In  1869  there  was 
established  a  Chair  of  English,  so  that  Bethel  was  the 
first  American  college  thus  to  recognize  the  impor- 
tance of  this  department. 

During  the  period  after  the  war  many  additions 
were  made  to  the  college  property  and  to  the  endow- 
ment fund.    In  1872  the  president's  house  was  built, 


174        Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

and  in  1876  N.  Long  Hall,  the  college  dormitory,  was 
erected.  The  endowment  had  steadily  increased  from 
$40,000  in  1860  to  $85,000  in  1875. 

Mr.  James  Enlow,  of  Christian  County,  in  1869 
bequeathed  to  Bethel  College  about  $6,000,  the  income 
from  which,  when  it  became  available  in  1872,  was 
used  as  a  loan  fund  from  which  to  aid  young  men 
who  were  studying  for  the  ministry  in  Bethel  College. 
The  ''Ewing  Professorship  of  Philosophy"  was  so 
entitled  in  consideration  of  the  valuable  bequests  of 
Judge  E.  M.  Ewing  and  his  son,  H.  Q.  Ewing.  The 
' '  N.  Long  Professorship  of  English  and  History ' '  was 
named  in  honor  of  the  constant  and  devoted  services 
as  well  as  liberality  of  Mr.  Nimrod  Long,  of  Russell- 
ville.  The  Norton  brothers — George  W.,  William  F., 
and  Eckstein,  all  of  whom  were  natives  of  Russell- 
ville — were  liberal  contributors  to  the  funds  of  the 
college,  and  in  grateful  recognition  of  this  fact  the 
"Norton  Chair  of  Natural  Sciences"  was  so  named. 

During  the  administration  of  President  Ryland 
the  heirs  of  N.  Long  and  G.  W.  Norton  offered  to  the 
board  of  trustees  the  property  formerly  known  as 
the  Southern  Bank  of  Kentucky  to  be  used  as  a  library 
and  for  kindred  purposes. 

In  1908  Bethel  College  became  affiliated  with  the 
Baptist  Educational  Society  of  Kentucky,  which  is 
striving  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the  Baptist  schools 
of  Kentucky.  The  college  has  received  considerable 
financial  help  from  this  society. 

As  a  result  of  the  great  Seventy-five  Million  Cam- 
paign in  the  fall  of  1919,  the  value  of  the  work  will 
be  increased  by  the  $200,000  assigned  to  Bethel  Col- 
lege for  needed  buildings  and  endowment.  The  board 
has  recommended  the  construction  of  a  new  dormitory 
for  the  exclusive  use  of  college  students  and  has 
authorized  a  campaign  among  the  former  students 
and  friends  of  the  school  for  the  construction  of  a 
memorial  chapel  to  be  dedicated  to  Professor  James 
H.  Fuqua,  who  died  in  February,  1920,  after  intimate 
association  with  the  college  since  its  opening  in  1852. 


Kentucky  Baptist  Institutions  175 

Presidents  of  Bethel  College 

B.  T.  Blewitt 1854-61 

College  closed 1861-63 

Kev.  George  Hunt 1863-64 

J.  W.  Rust 1864-68 

Noah  K.  Davis 1868-73 

Leslie  Waggener   1873-83 

James     H.     Fuqua,     Chairman     of 

Faculty    1883-87 

Rev.  W.  S.  Ryland 1889-98 

Rev.  E.  S.  Alderman 1898-02 

W.  H.  Harrison 1903-07 

James  D.   Garner 1907-09 

F.  D.   Perkins 1909-13 

H.  G.  Brownell 1913-17 

Rev.  R.  H.  Tandy 1917-18 

Geo.  F.  Dasher 1918- 

Bethel  Woman's  College — 1854 

Bethel  Female  College  was  the  culmination  of  a 
desire  of  the  Baptists  of  Hopkinsville  and  Bethel 
association  to  provide  an  institution  in  which  young 
women  could  receive  an  education  beyond  that  which 
they  could  acquire  in  the  ordinary  public  or  private 
schools.  The  movement  for  this  school  began  to  take 
definite  shape  in  1853,  when  public-spirited  citizens 
of  Christian  and  adjacent  counties,  by  private  con- 
tributions, raised  funds  to  buy  six  acres  of  ground  in 
which  is  now  the  heart  of  the  best  residence  section 
of  the  city  of  Hopkinsville.  In  1854  a  charter  was 
secured  under  the  name  of  Bethel  High  School.  In 
1855  the  cornerstone  was  laid  and  in  1857  was  com- 
pleted the  splendid  four-story  building  which,  with 
its  massive  columns,  still  remains  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  examples  of  Greek  architecture  to  be  found 
in  the  state. 

In  1858  the  school  was  given  a  new  charter  under 
the  name  of  Bethel  Female  College.  This  charter  was 
afterwards  repealed,  but  the  new  name  was  retained. 

In  1890  a  charter  was  secured  legalizing  the  name 


176        Kentucky  Baptist  Histonj— 1770-1922 

Bethel  Female  College  and  granting  to  the  institu- 
tion the  power  to  confer  the  usual  college  degrees. 

The  first  principal  of  the  institution  was  W.  F. 
Hill,  elected  in  1856.  He  was  followed  in  1857  by 
J.  W.  Rust,  who  resigned  in  August,  1863,  when  the 
school  was  closed  for  several  months.  T.  G.  Keen 
re-opened  the  school  in  March,  1864,  and  continued 
as  principal  until  1866.  The  school  was  then  quite 
prosperous.  M.  G.  Alexander  succeeded  Mr.  Keen 
and  resigned  in  1868,  to  be  succeeded  by  J.  F.  Dagg. 
In  1874  Mr.  Dagg  was  succeeded  by  J.  W.  Rust,  who 
remained  with  the  college  until  his  death  in  1890. 
For  about  a  year  the  office  of  president  was  vacant, 
but  in  January,  1891,  T.  S.  McCall,  of  Liberty  College, 
was  elected  to  the  position  and  remained  with  the 
school  until  1896,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Edmund 
Harrison.  After  a  very  successful  administration  of 
thirteen  years.  Doctor  Harrison  resigned  in  1909  and 
H.  G.  Brownell  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy.  In 
1914  W.  S.  Peterson  was  chosen  to  succeed  President 
Brownell,  who  was  elected  to  the  presidency  of  Bethel 
College,  for  men,  at  Russellville,  Kentucky.  In  1908 
the  college  became  a  part  of  the  system  of  the  Baptist 
Education  Society,  and  in  1916,  under  the  administra- 
tion of  Mr.  Peterson,  it  was  decided  to  cease  giving 
the  A.  B.  degree,  to  make  Bethel  a  standard  junior 
college  and  to  omit  the  word  ''Female"  from  the 
name,  substituting  ''Woman's." 

During  all  these  years  the  policy  of  the  trustees 
had  been  to  lease  the  building  and  grounds  to  the 
president,  who  conducted  the  institution  as  a  private 
enterprise.  For  many  reasons  this  was  unsatisfac- 
tory; so  in  1917,  upon  the  resignation  of  President 
Peterson,  a  new  policy  was  adopted.  Under  this 
policy  the  trustees  elect  all  officers  and  teachers.  They 
likewise  become  responsible  for  and  control  all  ex- 
penditures. 

Miss  Clara  Belle  Thompson  was  chosen  president 
and  Mrs.  Eager  vice-president.  Under  their  adminis- 
tration the  results  have  been  so  satisfactory  that  the 


Kentucky  Baptist  Institutions  177 

trustees  have  decided  to  continue  the  present  policy. 

Upon  Miss  Thompson's  resignation  in  the  spring 
of  1919,  J.  W.  Gaines  was  chosen  president  and  dur- 
ing his  first  year  the  attendance  increased  three-fold. 

The  stately  old  building  is  a  beautiful  sight  as 
it  stands  in  the  center  of  the  large  campus  covered 
with  blue  grass  and  shaded  by  magnificent  trees. 

Year  before  last  it  was  found  necessary  to  increase 
the  accommodations  and  a  new  residence  hall  was 
erected,  forming  a  west  wing  to  the  old  building. 
This  building  contains  twenty-four  bedrooms  equipped 
with  stationary  washstands,  with  hot  and  cold  water. 
The  ground  floor  contains  a  well-equipped  science 
laboratory  and  seven  commodious  class  rooms. 

Last  year  an  east  wung  was  added  which  contains 
thirty  bedrooms,  a  well-equipped  infirmary,  four  large 
music  studios,  twelve  practice  rooms  and  a  thoroughly 
modern  gymnasium.  A  swimming  pool  has  also  been 
added  and  the  interior  of  the  old  building  remodeled 
and  renovated,  making  it  the  most  attractive  portion 
of  the  college  plant. 

Bethel  Woman's  College  is  a  member  of  the  co- 
ordinate school  system  in  Kentucky. 

The  Louisville  Baptist  Orphans'  Homes — 1869 

In  the  years  following  the  Civil  War,  the  children 
orphaned  thereby  became  a  pressing  problem  to 
Dr.  George  C.  Lorimer  and  his  people,  the  Walnut 
Street  Church.  They  did  what  they  could,  but  despite 
their  efforts  Baptist  mothers  were  compelled  to  allow 
their  children  to  go  into  Catholic  orphanage  asylums. 
The  Catholics  then  solicited  aid  of  the  Baptists  for 
the  support  of  their  orphanages  on  the  ground  that 
they  were  caring  for  Baptist  orphans.  This  was  more 
than  Doctor  Lorimer  could  stand,  and  he  cried  out  as 
he  talked  with  his  Ladies'  Aid,  "There  must  be  an 
end  to  this.  Who  will  kneel  and  pray  with  me,  God 
helping  us  we  will  build  a  home  for  these  orphan 
children  ? ' '  All  bowed  and  his  petition  as  he  led  them 
in  prayer  was  one  that  had  power  with  God  and  men. 


178        Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

The  die  was  cast.  The  thing  was  done.  The  work 
was  at  once  initiated.  Some  three  years  later,  on 
June  30,  1869,  the  "Home  for  Helpless  Children" 
was  opened  in  rented  quarters  at  828  West  Walnut 
Street.  W.  L.  Weller  of  sainted  memory  guaranteed 
the  first  year 's  rent.  God 's  favor  was  upon  the  enter- 
prise. His  first  great  gift  to  the  work  was  Miss  Mary 
HollinsAvorth,  who  answered  the  call  on  July  6,  1869, 
and  continued  as  the  superintendent  until  March, 
1905,  when  forced  to  retire  by  the  infirmities  of  age. 
The  home  was  chartered  January  29,  1870.  Ground 
was  broken  for  the  first  wing  of  the  present  building 
at  First  and  St.  Catherine  Streets,  March  21,  1870, 
and  the  same  was  formally  opened  on  December  19, 
1870.  This  was  made  possible  by  the  gift  of  the  site 
by  Dr.  J.  Lawrence  Smith  and  wife,  and  the  first 
$10,000  by  three  sisters — Mrs.  J.  Lawrence  Smith, 
Mrs.  W.  B,  Caldwell,  and  Mrs.  John  Caperton.  The 
additional  $10,000  needed  was  in  the  main  raised  by 
Mrs.  Arthur  Peter  and  other  women  of  the  committee. 
Through  the  efforts  of  Dr.  W.  M.  Pratt,  the  home  in 
1872  was  provided  with  the  nucleus  of  a  splendid 
library  for  that  day.  A  thorough  canvass  by  Prof.  J. 
W.  Rust  in  1873  laid  the  interests  of  the  home  upon 
the  hearts  of  the  Baptists  throughout  the  state.  As 
early  as  1874  the  need  for  enlargement  began  to  be 
felt;  but  it  was  the  challenging  gift  of  Capt.  W.  F. 
Norton  and  his  mother  of  $5,000  to  the  building  fund 
on  February  28,  1891,  that  aroused  the  Baptists  to 
quickly  subscribe  the  $22,000  balance  needed  for  the 
erection  of  the  central  wing  of  the  building.  The 
cornerstone  was  laid  October  13,  1891,  and  the  dedica- 
tion occurred  October  2,  1892.  Doctors  A.  T.  Spald- 
ing, E.  C.  Dargan  and  John  A.  Broaddus  had  part 
in  the  dedication  exercises.  The  celebration  of  the 
silver  anniversary  of  the  home,  due  June  20,  1894, 
for  good  and  sufficient  reasons  did  not  take  place  until 
October  2d.  The  occasion  was  made  much  of.  Dr.  T. 
T.  Eaton  gave  the  historical  sketch.  Dr.  George  C. 
Lorimer,  then  pastor  in  Boston,  was  the  guest  of  honor 


Kentucky  Baptist  Institutions  179 

and  made  a  masterly  address  upon  "Memories  of  the 
past  and  deeds  of  the  future."  A  collection  for  the 
home  netted  some  $4,500. 

Board  Presidents 

From  the  organization  of  the  home  to  the  day  of 
his  death  in  1883,  Dr.  J.  Lawrence  Smith  was  the 
president  of  the  Board  of  Trustees.  His  brother-in- 
law.  Dr.  W.  B.  Caldwell,  succeeded  him  and  served 
until  he  "fell  on  sleep"  in  1892.  Dr.  J.  B.  Marvin, 
already  the  physician  of  the  home,  was  the  next  presi- 
dent. His  years  of  service  were  suddenly  terminated 
by  death  on  September  2,  1913.  Mr.  Frank  Miller, 
honored  by  the  Board  of  Trustees  as  his  successor, 
continues  the  faithful  and  efficient  presiding  officer. 

Superintendents 

Miss  Mary  HoUinsworth,  from  July  6,  1869,  to 
March  31,  1905;  Miss  Mary  E.  Abercrombie,  who 
had  been  secretary  and  assistant  to  Miss  HoUinsworth, 
succeeded  her.  She  resigned  the  work  September, 
1912 ;  Miss  Mattie  Priest  was  the  next  superintendent, 
and  so  continued  until  she  was  called  up  higher  on 
August  22,  1919,  save  for  one  year  spent  with  her 
sister  on  the  mission  field  of  China.  Rev.  0.  M.  Huey 
and  wife  took  charge  on  November  15,  1919,  as  super- 
intendent and  assistant. 

Endowment 

The  home  has  a  productive  endowment  of  $287,- 
823.69,  largely  the  bequest  of  Capt.  W.  F.  Norton, 
whom  it  was  found  upon  his  death  had  made  the 
home  his  principal  heir.  Under  the  will  of  Captain 
Norton  the  income  only  from  this  endowment  can  be 
used  for  the  maintenance  of  the  home.  It  is  in  every 
way  desirable  that  the  endowment  shall  grow  by  gifts 
and  a  place  in  the  wills  of  Baptists  who  want  what 
God  has  entrusted  to  them  to  go  on  doing  good  after 
they  are  gone. 

12 


180        Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

The  Orphan's  Friend 

The  official  organ  of  the  home  was  established  in 
1872  and  has  proven  an  invaluable  aid  in  manj^  ways. 
Its  monthly  visit  is  eagerly  anticipated  in  Baptist 
homes  all  over  the  state. 

Support 

The  income  from  the  endowment  is  the  first  source 
of  support.  The  home  is  put  into  the  budget  of  Ken- 
tucky Baptists  each  year  for  a  definite  sum.  The  two 
funds  are  not  adequate  to  all  of  its  needs. 

Present  Situation 

The  property  is  in  good  shape,  the  endowment 
funds  wisely  invested,  and  there  are  in  the  home  at 
this  time  130  children.  Since  the  coming  of  the  Rev. 
0.  M.  Huey,  the  home  has  increased  its  capacity  from 
120  to  135.  During  the  long  and  useful  life  of  the 
home,  Louisville  has  furnished  only  some  16  per  cent 
of  the  inmates,  but  above  75  per  cent  of  the  income, 
while  from  out  in  the  state  has  come  84  per  cent  of 
the  children  and  25  per  cent  of  the  revenue.  The 
home  feels  it  has  a  strong  claim  upon  the  Baptists 
all  over  the  state.  The  home  in  all  of  its  long  history 
has  had  but  four  physicians — Drs.  G.  W.  Burton, 
G.  H.  Cox,  J.  B.  Marvin  and  R.  Lindsey  Irland,  all 
of  whom  have  served  without  compensation.  As  a 
specialist.  Dr.  Gaylord  Hall  is  now  rendering  invalu- 
able services. 

Curnberland  College — 1888 

The  first  suggestion  of  a  Baptist  College  at  Wil- 
liamsburg, Kentucky,  came  in  1887  from  Mount  Zion 
Association,  which  met  at  Bethlehem  that  year.  Late 
in  the  same  year  a  special  session  of  the  association 
convened  at  Williamsburg.  Rev.  Green  Clay  Smith 
was  present  and  gave  such  encouragement  to  the  move- 
ment that  $4,000  was  subscribed.  Articles  of  incor- 
poration were  also  drafted ;  these  were  approved  by 


Kentucky  Baptist  Institutions  181 

the  legislature  April  6,  1888,  and  Williamsburg  Insti- 
tute opened  its  doors  for  students  January  7,  1889. 

W.  J,  Johnson  was  chosen  principal  of  the  school 
and  pastor  of  the  church  in  1889,  apparently.  Both 
of  these  positions  he  held  for  the  ensuing  year,  but 
becoming  absorbed  in  the  task  of  raising  money,  he 
yielded  the  presidency  of  the  school  to  Prof.  E.  E. 
Wood  in  the  fall  of  1890.  Professor  Wood  was  vir- 
tually president  until  the  spring  of  1919,  although 
Rev.  J.  N.  Prestridge  was  actually  president  for  a 
brief  period. 

In  1892  the  trustees  obtained  a  conditional  pledge 
of  $10,000  from  the  American  Baptist  Education 
Society,  provided  an  additional  sum  of  $25,000  was 
raised  for  endowment.  To  secure  this  gift  Dr.  A. 
Gatliff  gave  $10,000  of  the  additional  amount — his 
first  large  gift  to  the  school.  Through  the  unceasing 
efforts  of  the  trustees  and  friends  from  the  beginning 
of  the  enterprise  unto  the  present  the  general  endow- 
ment has  been  gradually  increased  until  it  now  totals 
$275,000. 

New  buildings  have  been  erected  and  additional 
grounds  acquired  as  the  need  arose.  The  principal 
buildings  are:  Administration,  Grade,  Manual  Train- 
ing, Domestic  Science,  Johnson  Hall  for  girls,  Felix 
Hall  for  boys.  The  entire  plant  is  valued  at  $200,000. 
The  name  of  the  institution  was  changed  to  Cumber- 
land College  in  1913. 

Cumberland  College  is  a  first  class  "Junior  Col- 
lege," that  is,  a  college  that  completes  freshman  and 
sophomore  work,  and  thus  enables  its  graduates  to 
enter  the  junior  year  of  standard  colleges.  Fifteen 
units  of  high  school  work  are  required  for  entrance 
to  the  college  proper.  The  only  degree  given  is  that 
of  "Associate  of  Arts." 

Williamsburg,  the  location  of  Cumberland  College, 
is  in  the  southern  part  of  the  mountains  of  eastern 
Kentucky,  on  the  Louisville  and  Nashville  Railroad, 
about  two  hundred  miles  south  of  Cincinnati,  about 
an   equal  distance  from  Louisville,   and  also   about 


182        Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

ninety  miles  north  of  Knoxville.  It  is  also  on  the 
Dixie  Highway.  It  is  a  place  of  natural  beauty  and 
healthful  surroundings. 

In  name  and  in  practice  the  school  is  religious. 
Not  only  is  the  Bible  taught  as  a  text-book,  but  in 
all  the  work  of  the  institution  it  is  honored.  In  chapel 
especially,  but  also  in  all  the  departments,  religion  is 
inculcated  and  a  spiritual  atmosphere  is  maintained. 
All  pupils  are  required  to  attend  chapel  services 
every  morning,  and  church  at  least  once  every  Sun- 
day. The  school  is  under  Baptist  auspices,  and  all 
students  are  welcome  at  the  Baptist  Church;  yet  in 
selecting  a  place  of  worship  they  are  allowed  to  exer- 
cise conscientious  preferences. 

The  Rev.  Charles  William  Elsey,  D.  D.,  was  elected 
president  of  the  institution  in  May,  1921,  succeeding 
Prof,  A.  R.  Evans,  acting  president  during  the  term 
1920-21. 

The  Baptist  Ministers'  Aid  Society  of  Ken^ 
tuchy—1888 

The  Baptist  Ministers'  Aid  Society  of  Kentucky 
was  organized  at  Eminence,  Kentucky,  June  21,  1888, 
and  incorporated  April  19,  1890. 

The  Rev.  J.  S.  Felix,  D.  D.,  pastor  First  Baptist 
Church,  Owensboro,  was  largely  responsible  for  bring- 
ing into  existence  this  organization,  and  is  the  first 
named  on  the  board  of  incorporators. 

The  purpose  of  the  institution  as  set  forth  in  the 
articles  of  incorporation  is  "to  provide  for  disabled 
Baptist  ministers  and  missionaries,  and  the  dependent 
infant  orphans  of  Baptist  ministers  and  missionaries 
in  the  State  of  Kentucky  during  the  time  of  their 
disability  with  a  comfortable  home  and  the  necessities 
of  life,  together  with  medical  attendance  and,  in  case 
of  death,  with  respectable  burial."    Noble  purpose! 

The  maximum  of  the  endowment  was  fixed  at 
$50,000.  At  Hopkinsville,  November,  1921,  the  Gen- 
eral Association  voted  to  change  this  to  $100,000,  so 
bequests  for  this  purpose  could  be  accepted.     This 


Kentucky  Baptist  Institutions  183 

society  has  done  a  great  work  in  helping  to  better  care 
for  our  old  and  dependent  preachers.  While  the 
board  is  still  intact  and  carrying  on  the  business  at 
Owensboro,  Kentucky,  our  beneficiaries  are  being 
served  by  the  "Relief  and  Anuity  Board"  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention,  located  at  Dallas, 
Texas.  The  Baptist  Ministers'  Aid  Society  of  Ken- 
tucky has  proven  to  be  a  very  valuable  institution. 

Russell  Creek  Baptist  Academy — 1906 

Situated  at  Campbellsville,  Taylor  County,  Ken- 
tucky. The  origin  of  this  school  was  at  the  session 
of  the  Russell  Creek  Association,  at  Salem  Church, 
in  September,  1900,  when  a  committee,  with  H.  C. 
Wood  as  chairman,  was  appointed  "to  raise  funds  to 
build,  equip  and  put  in  operation  a  Baptist  school, 
to  be  known  as  the  Baptist  Academy  of  the  Russell 
Creek  Association." 

Under  the  leadership  of  those  great  Baptist  lay- 
men, Judge  James  Garnett,  Sr.,  B.  W,  Penick,  the 
Rev.  J.  S.  Gatton  and  the  Rev.  W.  T.  Underwood  and 
their  associates,  the  school  was  incorporated  under  the 
corporate  name  of  the  "Educational  Committee  of 
the  Russell  Creek  Association."  In  1906  a  suitable 
site  of  ten  acres  of  land  in  Campbellsville,  Kentucky, 
was  purchased  and  the  erection  of  the  Administration 
Building  and  a  three-story  dormitory  for  girls — both 
brick  buildings — were  erected.  The  dormitory  was 
named  after  J.  S.  Stapp,  who  gave  largely  to  its 
erection. 

In  1914  a  farm  of  fifty-two  acres  near  the  campus 
was  purchased  for  demonstration  and  experimental 
purposes,  J.  H.  Kinnard  of  Red  Lick,  Kentucky,  con- 
tributing the  purchase  price.  A  lot  adjoining  the 
farm  has  recently  been  bought  and  a  six-room  resi- 
dence erected  thereon  for  use  of  the  school  farmer. 

In  1918  a  house  and  lot  adjoining  the  campus  was 
purchased  and  a  large  addition  built  thereto,  making 
a  dormitory  for  the  boys  with  thirty  rooms.  In  1919 
another  lot  containing  an  acre  of  land  and  a  two-story 


184        Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

dwelling  with  verandas  and  also  outbuildings  was  con- 
veyed to  the  school  by  Mr.  C.  L.  Brady  of  Springfield, 
Kentucky,  and  in  the  same  year  an  addition  of  eight 
acres  of  land  adjoining  the  campus  was  purchased 
and  added  to  the  campus,  making  a  campus  of  eigh- 
teen acres  besides  the  two  adjoining  lots  and  the  farm. 

The  girls'  dormitory  contains  more  than  thirty 
rooms,  besides  dining-rooms,  kitchen  and  halls.  The 
buildings  are  all  situated  on  a  beautiful  elevation  and 
are  both  attractive  and  substantial. 

This  school  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Education 
Society  of  Kentucky,  and  A-1  accredit  academy,  and 
is  so  recognized  by  the  State  Department  of  Educa- 
tion, as  well  as  by  the  denomination. 

The  course  of  study  extends  from  the  primary 
through  four  years  of  high  school.  Special  courses 
are  given  in  music,  art,  expression,  domestic  science 
and  normal  training. 

The  Bible  is  taught  in  every  grade  every  day. 

The  aim  of  the  academy  is  to  be  thorough  in  all 
of  its  work,  and  not  only  to  give  an  education,  but 
to  instill  into  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the  pupils  the 
teachings  and  principles  of  Jesus;  and  to  do  it  from 
the  Baptist  viewpoint.  The  enrollment  each  year  has 
exceeded  300. 

Kentucky  Baptist  Children's  Home — 1915 

For  a  number  of  years  the  conviction  had  been 
growing  that  the  Baptists  of  Kentucky  ought  to  own 
and  control  a  home  in  which  to  care  for  orphan  and 
indigent  children.  In  many  sections  of  the  state  the 
demand  was  insistent,  and  the  matter  was  discussed 
with  earnestness  in  many  Baptist  gatherings.  This 
conviction  finally  found  expression  in  a  memorial 
from  the  Ohio  County  Association  to  the  General 
Association  of  Baptists  in  Kentucky  in  its  session  at 
Somerset,  in  November,  1914,  calling  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  such  an  institution.  The  memorial  was 
received  with  enthusiasm,  and  after  much  serious  con- 
sideration the  body  voted  to  appoint  the  following 
committee:    S.  E.  Tull,  Paducah,  Ky.;  T.  H.  Athey, 


Kentucky  Baptist  Institutions  185 

Shelbyville,  Ky. ;  W.  L.  Brock,  Lexington,  Ky. ;  W.  M. 
Stallings,  Smith's  Grove.  Ky. ;  W,  W.  Horner,  Louis- 
ville, Ky. ;  Thomas  D.  Osborne,  Louisville,  Ky. ;  Edw. 
C.  Farmer,  Louisville,  Ky. ;  J.  E,  Martin,  Jellieo, 
Tenn. ;  and  S.  M.  McCarter,  Lawrenceburg,  Ky.,  with 
full  power  to  act  in  the  establishment  of  a  Kentucky 
Baptist  Children's  Home,  said  committee  to  become 
the  trustees  of  the  institution.  Acting  upon  the  in- 
structions of  the  General  Association  of  Baptists  in 
Kentucky,  the  beautiful  and  commodious  property 
near  Glendale,  Hardin  County,  Kentucky,  formerly 
Lynnland  College,  consisting  of  sixteen  acres  of 
land  and  the  buildings  thereon,  was  purchased  and 
equipped.  Elder  A.  B.  Gardner,  Beaver  Dam,  Ken- 
tucky, was  elected  as  the  superintendent,  and  on  June 
23,  1915,  the  home  was  opened  for  the  reception  of 
homeless,  destitute  children.  Brother  Gardner  con- 
tinued as  superintendent  until  December  31,  1916, 
when  on  account  of  failing  health  he  was  forced  to 
give  up  the  work  that  held  such  a  large  place  in  his 
loving  heart.  On  October  12,  1918,  he  was  called  to 
his  eternal  home.  During  his  superintendency  there 
were  113  children  received  into  the  home,  and  he  laid 
the  foundation  of  what  is  confidently  expected  to  be 
one  of  the  greatest  institutions  of  its  kind  in  the 
United  States.  In  1916  the  trustees  purchased  120 
acres  of  land,  known  as  the  Walker  farm,  situated  a 
short  distance  from  the  home.  On  January  1,  1917, 
Rev.  J.  W.  Vallandingham,  at  that  time  pastor  of 
Gilead  Baptist  Church,  Glendale,  Kentucky,  and  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  was  elected  superin- 
tendent and  Mrs.  Vallandingham  was  elected  matron. 
Brother  and  Sister  Vallandingham  continued  the 
work  so  ably  begun  by  Brother  Gardner.  Many  im- 
provements were  made,  including  a  large  front  porch 
and  two  large  dormitories,  waterworks  and  electric 
lights  were  installed  and  plans  were  made  for  more 
extensive  improvements  in  the  future.  In  June,  1919, 
realizing  that  his  physical  condition  was  such  that  he 
could  no  longer  carry  the  burden,  Brother  Valland- 


186       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

ingham  tendered  his  resignation  to  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  which  was  reluctantly  accepted,  and  M.  Geo. 
Moore,  a  layman,  member  of  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  Lexington,  Kentucky,  who  was  at  that  time  and 
for  seven  and  a  half  years  previously  superintendent 
of  the  Pythian  Home  of  Kentucky,  located  at  Lex- 
ington, was  elected  superintendent  and  Mrs.  Moore 
elected  matron.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moore  took  charge  on 
August  14,  1919.  In  1920,  173  acres  of  land,  known 
as  the  Monin  farm,  adjacent  to  the  home  on  the  south 
side  and  extending  to  Nolin  River,  was  purchased, 
making  a  total  of  309  acres  owned  by  the  home  which, 
together  with  improvements  and  personal  property, 
is  worth  approximately  $140,000.  From  June  23, 
1915,  to  November  1,  1921,  321  children  have  been 
cared  for,  146  of  whom  were  in  the  home  on  the  last 
named  date. 


It  will  be  observed  that  the  Southern  Baptist  Theo- 
logical Seminary  is  not  included  in  this  list  of  ''Ken- 
tucky Baptist  Institutions."  While  the  seminary  is 
located  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  it  is  not  a  "Ken- 
tucky Institution, ' '  but  a  southwide  institution.  This 
is  the  reason  why  it  is  not  included  in  this  chapter. 
The  seminary  is  a  great  and  worthy  institution,  de- 
serving the  sympathy  and  support  of  our  people. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
The  Mystery  of  Lincoln  ^s  Religion  Cleared  Up 

One  of  the  most  interesting  characters  in  all 
American  history  is  Abraham  Lincoln.  Born  in  a 
one-room  log  cabin  in  the  wilderness  of  Kentucky, 
reared  in  the  grinding  poverty  and  hardships  of  the 
backwoods  of  Indiana  and  Illinois,  he,  by  dint  of  in- 
dustry and  application,  became  a  great  lawyer  and 
statesman,  a  great  president  and  preserver  of  a 
nation. 

Every  student  of  history  is  familiar  with  the  real 
humanity  and  depths  of  character  of  this  great  Amer- 
ican citizen.  In  the  study  of  such  a  character  ques- 
tions will  arise :  *  *  What  of  his  ancestry  ?  Were  they 
pious,  religious  people  ?  What  of  his  training  ?  What 
inspired  him  to  a  great  life  ? ' '  The  student  naturally 
looks  for  something  in  the  dreary  pioneer  life  of 
"Honest  Abe"  that  inspired  him  to  nobler  and 
greater  things  beyond  the  horizon  of  his  wilderness 
home.  In  our  search  for  this  inspiration  we  find  that 
Lincoln's  parents  were  pious,  religious  Baptist  stock. 
The  Lincolns  were  Baptists  in  Kentucky  and  united 
with  a  Baptist  church  in  Indiana,  where  they  first 
settled  after  leaving  Kentucky,  as  shown  by  the  fol- 
lowing : 

''Lincoln  City,  Ind.,  Nov.  5,  1921.— Rolling  back 
the  mists  of  a  century  and  offering  the  deerskin-bound 
records  of  Little  Pigeon  Baptist  Church  near  here  as 
the  missing  link  of  Abraham  Lincoln's  religion, 
Thomas  B.  McGregor,  Assistant  Attorney-General  of 
the  State  of  Kentucky,  has  given  to  an  appreciative 
American  substantial  evidence  that  Abraham  Lincoln 
was  reared  in  the  simple  faith  of  the  'hard-shelled' 
Baptist  Church." 

"Much  of  the  mystery  of  Lincoln's  religion,  and 
187 


188       Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

that  of  his  parents,  for  over  half  a  century  a  mooted 
question,  has  been  evaporated  by  the  finding  of  Mr, 
McGregor  in  the  little  old  deerskin  book  of  Little 
Pigeon  Church. 

"There  is  no  record  of  Abraham  Lincoln's  affilia- 
tion with  any  church  denomination,  but  Mr.  Mc- 
Gregor's story  of  Thomas  Lincoln,  moderator  and 
pillar  of  the  little  Baptist  church,  proves  conclusively, 
Mr.  McGregor  says,  that  the  Lincoln  family  were 
Baptists. 

Were  Well  To  Do 

* '  The  parents  of  Abraham  Lincoln  deserve  a  fairer 
estimate  than  has  been  allotted  them  by  most  of  the 
biographers  of  Lincoln,"  says  Mr.  McGregor,  ''and 
the  story,  as  told  by  the  records  that  are  still  to  be 
found  in  the  archives  of  Little  Pigeon  Church,  near 
Lincoln  City,  Spencer  County,  Indiana,  of  the  devo- 
tion paid  by  the  parents  of  Lincoln  to  him  who  guided 
the  lad  of  Pigeon  Creek  in  the  hour  of  the  nation's 
travail,  goes  far  to  give  to  them  their  true  estimate. 
In  fact,  they  were  well-to-do  pioneers  of  their  day; 
of  sturdy  ancestral  stock,  owned  a  farm,  domestic  ani- 
mals, tools  and  a  family  Bible ;  neighborly,  sacrificing 
and  active  church-going  members. 

''Pigeon  Creek  Church  was  founded  on  June  8, 
1816,  the  year  that  Thomas  Lincoln  and  his  family 
moved  from  Kentucky  and  settled  on  Little  Pigeon 
Creek  in  what  was  then  Warwick  County,  Indiana 
Territory.  It  was  then,  as  now,  the  chief  church  in 
that  vicinity.  When  the  meeting-house  was  built,  its 
site  was  selected  about  a  mile  west  of  Thomas  Lin- 
coln's home,  the  church  building  today  occupying 
practically  the  same  place.  When  Lincoln's  mother 
died  she  was  buried  between  their  home  and  the 
church,  the  graveyard  not  having  been  at  that  time 
started  at  the  church,  but  when  Lincoln 's  sister,  Sarah 
Grigsby,  died  in  1828,  she  was  buried  at  the  church 
burying  ground,  where  her  grave  is  yet  to  be  seen, 
marked  by  a  rough  stone. 


Mystery  of  Lincoln's  Religion  Cleared  Up    189 

"This  church,  with  its  continuous  existence  since 
1816,  has  only  two  books  containing  its  records  and 
minutes,  the  first  covering  the  period  from  1816  to 
1840.  It  is  in  this  book  that  we  find  Abraham  Lin- 
coln's father,  stepmother  and  sister  were  active  mem- 
bers of  the  hard-shell  Baptist  Church  of  Pigeon  Creek, 
and  this  book,  with  its  deerskin  cover,  the  hair  still 
remaining,  not  only  reveals  in  its  crude,  historic  way 
the  true  religion  of  Lincoln's  parents,  but  gives  us 
the  best  insight  yet  found  to  his  own  religious 
views. 

Records  of  Church 

' '  Thomas  Lincoln  and  Nancy  Hanks  were  married 
by  a  Methodist  minister  by  the  name  of  Jesse  Head, 
but  shortly  afterward  they  were  united  with  one  of 
the  churches  of  Baptist  Licking-Locust  Association 
of  regular  Baptist  churches  of  Kentucky,  and  when 
Nancy  Lincoln  died  in  Indiana,  Abraham,  by  his  own 
efforts,  had  their  Kentucky  pastor,  Elder  David 
Elkins,  come  to  their  wilderness  home  and  preach  his 
mother's  funeral. 

"After  Thomas  Lincoln  had  married  Sally  Bush 
Johnson  he  sent  back  to  his  Kentucky  church  and 
obtained  his  letter  of  fellowship,  and  as  the  minutes  on 
June  1,  1823,  show,  he  united  with  the  Pigeon  Creek 
Church  by  this  letter  and  his  wife  by  experience. 
From  that  date  until  they  moved  to  Illinois  in  1830, 
their  names  appear  frequently  in  the  minutes  of  the 
church  proceedings,  Thomas  being  one  of  the  pillars  of 
the  church  acting  as  moderator,  on  committees  to 
investigate  the  conduct  of  brethren  and  sisters,  and 
messenger  to  associations,  bearing  the  letter  of  Pigeon 
Creek  to  her  sister  churches. 

Text  of  Records 

"The  historic  minute  which  records  the  affiliation 
of  Thomas  Lincoln  and  his  wife  with  this  little  pioneer 
church  follows: 

"June  the  7"  1823. 


190       Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

"The  church  met  and  after  prayer  proceeded  to 
business. 

"1st     Inquired  for  fellowship. 

"2nd  Invited  members  of  sister  churches  to  seat 
with  us. 

"3rd  Opened  a  dore  for  the  Reception  of  Mem- 
bers. 

"4th  Received  Brother  Thomas  Linkon  by  letter 
and  *  *  *  * 

"7th  Received  Brother  John  "Wire  by  Relation 
and  Sister  Linkhon  and  Thomas  Carter  by  Ex- 
perance. ' ' 

"Thomas  Lincoln  was  not  in  such  poor  circum- 
stances but  that  he  always  donated  to  the  needs  of 
his  church, ' '  said  Mr.  McGregor  in  offering  the  follow- 
ing copy  of  an  agreement  to  build  a  new  chimney  on 
the  meeting-house : 

"We  the  undersigned  Do  agree  one  with  another 
to  pay  the  several  Somes  next  our  names  in  produce 
this  fall  to  be  Delivered  Betwixt  the  first  and  20 
December,  the  produce,  as  follows,  corn,  wheat, 
whiskey,  soft  Linnen  wool  or  any  other  article  a 
material  to  do  the  work  with,  the  produce  will  be 
delivered  at  Wm.  Barker's  in  good  mercantile  prod- 
uce." 

Signed  with  other  names  is : 

"Thomas  Lincoln,  white  corn,  manufactured — 
pounds — 24. ' ' 

"Thus,"  continued  Mr.  McGregor,  "we  have  re- 
vealed to  us  the  religion  of  Abraham  Lincoln's 
parents,  his  sister  Sarah,  and  of  himself.  He  was 
raised  in  the  simple  Baptist  faith,  which  in  after 
years  never  left  him. 

"We  have  no  record  of  Thomas  LincoLn  or  his 
wife  ever  uniting  with  any  church  after  they  moved 
to  Illinois  in  1830." 

The  above  was  published  by  the  daily  papers,  and 
is  taken  from  Judge  McGregor's  lecture  on  Lincoln. 
It  will  be  observed  that  Judge  McGregor  refers  to 
the  "Licking  Locust  Association  of  Regular  Baptists 


Mystery  of  Lincoln's  Religion  Cleared  Up    191 

in  Kentucky"  as  "Hardshell."  The  Licking  Locust 
Association,  according  to  Spencer,  was  constituted 
1807  as  a  result  of  a  split  on  the  slavery  question. 
This  association  was  an  "emancipation  association," 
but  it  disappeared  about  1820,  according  to  his- 
tory. 

Judge  McGregor,  however,  makes  a  mistake  when 
he  concludes  that  the  association,  because  anti-slavery, 
was  anti-mission.  The  churches  constituting  the  Lick- 
ing Locust  Association  were  missionary,  and  all  of 
them  that  now  exist  are  still  missionary.  Many  of 
the  preachers  who  were  known  as  "Emancipation 
preachers"  were  among  the  most  evangelistic  of  the 
state.  The  Licking  Locust  association  could  not  have 
been  a  "Hardshell  Association,"  for  it  passed  out  of 
existence  at  least  a  decade  before  the  mission  split — 
or  before  there  were  any  Hardshell  associations. 
Prior  to  1816,  the  date  when  the  Lincolns  left  Ken- 
tucky, there  were  no  "Hardshells"  in  Kentucky.  To 
whatever  Baptist  church  the  Lincolns  may  have  be- 
longed in  Kentucky,  it  was  not  a  * '  Hardshell ' '  or  Anti- 
mission  church,  for  Spencer  says,  "Previous  to  1816 
there  was  not  an  Anti-mission  Baptist  in  Kentucky 
so  far  as  known."  (Vol.  I,  p.  570.)  Neither  could 
the  Pigeon  Creek  Church,  founded  in  1816  in  Indiana, 
be  a  "Hardshell"  church,  for  the  split  between  the 
Missionaries  and  Anti-missionaries  had  not  taken 
place,  and  did  not  occur  until  about  1832  and  follow- 
ing. John  Taylor  and  Daniel  Parker,  the  leaders, 
later  in  the  Hardshell  movement,  were  yet  lined  up 
with  the  Regular  Baptist  body,  which  was  doing  mis- 
sion work  in  1816. 

William  E.  Barton,  D.  D.,  LL.D.,  in  his  "The  Soul 
of  Abraham  Lincoln,"  published  1920,  page  36,  says: 
' '  Thomas  Lincoln  is  alleged  by  Herndon  to  have  been 
a  Free-will  Baptist  in  Kentucky,  a  Presbyterian  in 
the  latter  part  of  his  life  in  Indiana,  and  finally  a 
Disciple  (I,  11).  He  does  not  state  where  he  obtained 
his  information,  but  it  is  almost  certain  that  he  got 
it  from  Sally  Bush  Lincoln  on  the  occasion  of  his 


192       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

visit  to  her  in  1865,  as  she  is  the  accredited  source  of 
most  of  the  information  of  this  character. 

"I  am  more  than  tempted  to  believe  that  either 
she  or  Herndon  was  incorrect  in  speaking  of  Thomas 
Lincoln's  earliest  affiliation  as  a  Free-will  Baptist. 
There  were  more  kinds  of  Baptists  in  heaven  and  on 
earth  than  were  understood  in  her  philosophy ;  and  I 
question  whether  the  Free-will  Baptists,  who  origi- 
nated in  New  England,  had  by  this  time  penetrated 
to  so  remote  a  section  of  Kentucky.  What  she  prob- 
ably told  Herndon  was  that  he  was  not  of  the  most 
reactionary  kind — the  so-called  'Hardshell'  or  Anti- 
mission  Baptists The  Scripps  biography,  read 

and  approved  by  Lincoln,  said  simply  that  his  parents 
were  consistent  members  of  the  Baptist  Church." 
This  should  settle  the  question  as  to  the  church  affilia- 
tion of  the  Lincolns.  Mr.  Barton  also  gives  evidence 
to  show  that  the  Lincolns  were  never  Presbyterians 
nor  Disciples.     They  were  simply  Baptists. 

Another  point  worth  noticing  is  the  subscription 
list  for  the  building  of  the  chimney  to  the  church. 
Next  to  ''corn, "  "wheat"  came  "whiskey"  on  the 
last.  This  shows  that  whiskey  at  that  time  was  a 
staple  commodity  in  commerce.  We  have  two  other 
such  subscriptions.  South  Elkhorn  and  Pitman's 
Creek  churches  both  have  old  subscription  lists  for 
pastor's  salary  and  church  building  respectively  with 
whiskey  as  a  part  of  the  payment. 

Mr.  McGregor  says  Abraham  Lincoln  "had  their 
Kentucky  pastor.  Elder  David  Elkins,  come  to  their 
wilderness  home  (in  Indiana)  and  preach  his  mother's 
funeral."  We  learn  from  Spencer  that  David  Elkins 
was  "one  of  the  early  pastors  of  Goodhope  Church," 
and  that  "he  labored  with  a  good  degree  of  success 
among  the  churches  of  Russell's  Creek  Association, 
and  preached  the  introductory  sermon  before  that 
body  in  1814."  (Vol.  I,  p.  336.)  This  puts  pastor 
Elkins  in  that  section  of  Kentucky  where  the  Lin- 
colns lived,  but  Elkins  was  never  a  "Hardshell." 
All  of  these  facts  go  to  show  that  while  the  Lincolns 


Mystery  of  Lincoln's  Religion  Cleared  Up    193 

were  Baptists  they  were  not  ' '  Hardshell ' '  Baptists  in 
Kentucky. 

In  response  to  a  letter  addressed  to  the  postmaster 
at  Lincoln  City,  Indiana,  asking  what  kind  of  a  Bap- 
tist Church  "Little  Pigeon  Creek"  was,  and  if  the 
old  records  show  from  what  Baptist  Church  in  Ken- 
tucky Thomas  Lincoln's  letter  came,  the  author  re- 
ceived a  reply  from  the  clerk  of  the  church,  saying : 
"Old  Pigeon  Church  is  a  Regular  Baptist  Church. 
Some  call  them  Hardshells,  but  the  right  name  is 
Primitive  Baptist.  The  record  don't  show  what 
church  he  (Thomas  Lincoln)  was  lettered  out  of." 
This  was  signed  "Lewis  Varner,  church  clerk  of 
Pigeon  Church.  Boonville,  Ind.,  1-4-22.".  This 
shows  that  the  church  is  now  a  Hardshell  church,  and 
this  fact,  perhaps,  misled  Mr.  McGregor. 

In  response  to  a  letter  to  Hon.  Thomas  B.  Mc- 
Gregor, the  author  received  the  following: 

Commonwealth  of  Kentucky 
Attorney  General's  Office 

FRANKFORT,   KY. 

State  House,  Jan.  2,  1922. 

Dr.  William  D.  Nowlin,  Pastor, 

First  Baptist  Church, 
Greenville,  Ky. 
My  Dear  Doctor: — 

I  am  in  receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  31st  ult.,  rela- 
tive to  my  recent  article  upon  the  religious  views  of 
the  parents  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  I  have  noted 
with  interest  what  you  have  to  say  touching  upon  the 
history  of  the  Hardshell  Baptist  Church  in  Kentucky. 

The  article  you  saw  was  doubtless  taken  from  a 
Chautauqua  address  that  I  have  delivered  in  several 
States  and  which  was  recently  used  in  a  magazine 
and  by  the  Associated  Press  in  tabloid  form. 

I  found  the  old  church  book  of  the  Little  Pigeon 
Church  more  than  twelve  years  ago,  and  at  that  time 
I  looked  closely  into  the  history  of  the  Lincoln  family 


194       Kentucky  Baptist  History— 1770-1922 

in  Kentucky.  Thomas  Lincoln  joined  the  Little 
Pigeon  Creek  Church  in  Spencer  County,  Indiana,  by 
letter,  and  knowing  the  customs  of  the  Primitive  Bap- 
tist Church  so  well,  I  immediately  begun  to  look  for 
his  church  connection  in  Kentucky.  In  my  search 
somewhere,  I  ran  across  the  fact  that  his  anti-slavery 
views  were  that  of  his  church  and  that  he  was  a 
member  of  such  church  in  either  Hardin  or  Washing- 
ton counties,  Ky.  In  1807  there  was  a  dissension  in 
the  General  Union  of  Baptists,  and  those  churches 
refusing  to  give  fellowship  to  slaveholders  formed 
a  separate  Association  and  it  was  known  as  "The 
Baptized  Licking  Locust  Association,  Friends  of 
Humanity."  It  was  of  short  life,  however,  and  by 
1814  it  had  disappeared.  The  home  of  the  Lincolns 
in  Kentucky  was  in  Baptist  territory. 

With  high  regards  and  best  wishes,  and  thanking 
you  for  your  interest  in  my  article,  I  am 
Yours  very  truly, 

Thos.  B.  McGregor. 

It  should  be  remembered,  however,  that  it  was  not 
the  anti-slavery  sentiment  that  marked  a  church  as 
"Hardshell,"  but  the  anti-mission  sentiment.  Many 
of  the  early  Baptists  who  were  anti-slavery  were 
thoroughly  missionary.  The  zealous,  evangelistic 
missionary,  Wm.  Hickman,  was  one  of  the  "emanci- 
pators," but  never  anti-missionary. 

Mr.  McGregor  says  Abraham  Lincoln  "was  raised 
in  the  simple  Baptist  faith,  which  in  after  years  never 
left  him." 

While  there  is  no  record  of  Abraham  Lincoln 
having  ever  joined  a  church,  it  is  believed  that  he 
lived  and  died  in  the  simple  Baptist  faith  of  his 
fathers. 

Lincoln  and  His  Bible 

The  following  account  of  Lincoln  and  his  Bible  is 
taken  from  one  of  our  Baptist  papers: 

*  *  The  Bible  which  fed  the  soul  of  Abraham  Lincoln 
in  the  Kentucky  log  cabin  of  his  boyhood  was  one  of 


Mystery  of  Lincoln's  Religion  Cleared  Up    195 

the  cheap  little  Bibles  imported  from  England  by 
vote  of  the  American  Congress  in  1777, 

"Lincoln  loved  the  Bible  above  all  books,  and  once 
paid  the  following  tribute  to  it:  'I  am  profitably- 
engaged  in  reading  the  Bible.  Take  all  of  this  book 
upon  reason  that  you  can,  and  the  balance  by  faith, 
and  you  will  live  and  die  a  better  man.  In  regard 
to  the  great  Book,  I  have  only  to  say  that  it  is  the 
best  book  which  God  has  given  to  men.'  " 

Lincoln's  addresses,  speeches,  and  messages  are 
shot  through  and  through  with  quotations  from  the 
Bible.  For  example,  take  this  paragraph  from  his 
second  Inaugural  Address  delivered  March  4,  1865  : 
"The  Almighty  has  his  own  purposes.  'Woe  unto 
the  world  because  of  offenses !  for  it  must  needs  be 
that  offenses  come ;  but  woe  to  that  man  by  whom 
the  offense  cometh. '  If  we  shall  suppose  that  Amer- 
ican Slavery  is  one  of  those  offenses  which  in  the 
providence  of  God  must  needs  come,  but  which  hav- 
ing continued  through  his  appointed  time,  he  now 
wills  to  remove,  and  that  he  gives  to  both  North  and 
South  this  terrible  war,  as  the  woe  due  to  those  by 
whom  the  oft'ense  come,  shall  we  discern  therein  any 
departure  from  those  divine  attributes  which  the  be- 
lievers in  a  living  God  always  ascribe  to  him  ?  Fondly 
do  we  hope — fervently  do  we  pray — that  this  mighty 
scourge  of  war  may  pass  away.  Yet,  if  God  wills 
that  it  continue  until  all  the  wealth  piled  by  the  bond- 
man's  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  unrequited  toil 
shall  be  sunk,  and  until  every  drop  of  blood  drawn 
with  the  lash  shall  be  paid  by  another  drawn  with 
the  sword,  as  was  said  three  thousand  years  ago,  so 
still  it  must  be  said,  'The  judgments  of  the  Lord  are 
true  and  righteous  altogether.'  " 

In  Mr.  Barton's  recent  book,  "The  Soul  of  Abra- 
ham Lincoln"  he  gives  on  page  86  a  statement  taken 
from  Scribner's  Monthly,  1873,  page  343,  as  follows: 
"Here  I  relate  an  incident  which  occurred  on  the 
4th  of  March,  1861,  as  told  me  by  Mrs.  Lincoln. 
She  said: 


196       Kentucky  Baptist  History — 1770-1922 

"  'Mr.  Lincoln  wrote  the  conclusion  of  his  in- 
augural address  the  morning  it  was  delivered.  The 
family  being  present,  he  read  it  to  them.  He  then 
said  he  wished  to  be  left  alone  for  a  short  time.  The 
family  retired  to  an  adjoining  room,  but  not  so  far 
distant  but  that  the  voice  of  prayer  could  be  dis- 
tinctly heard.  There,  closeted  with  God  alone,  sur- 
rounded by  the  enemies  who  were  ready  to  take  his 
life,  he  commended  his  country's  cause  and  all  dear 
to  him  to  God's  care  and  with  a  mind  calm  by  com- 
munion with  his  Father  in  heaven,  and  courage  equal 
to  the  danger,  he  came  forth  from  that  retirement 
ready  for  duty.'  " 

Lincoln  was  a  man  of  God,  a  man  of  prayer,  a 
man  of  faith.  He  believed  unquestionably  in  the 
eternal  purposes  of  God,  and  in  the  infallibility  of  his 
revealed  will — the  Bible. 


DATE  DUE 

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. 

GAYLORD 

PRINTED  IN  US. A. 

BX6248.K4N9  „    ^„^^ 

Kentucky  Baptist  history,  1770.. .1922, 

Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00020  6583 


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